QC 

964 


JETEOROLOGY  AND  CLIMATOLOGY 


331 


GREAT  VALLEYS  AND  FOOTHILLS 


CALIFORNIA 


FOR  FROM  FIFTEEN  TO  THIRTY-SIX  YEARS. 


Collavjd  and  compile i  by  Sergeant  JAMES  A.  BARWICK,  Observer  Signal  Corps,  U.  S.  A. 
am"  Meteorologist  to  the -State  Board  of  Agriculture. 


STATE  OFFICE  .  .  . 


SACRAMENTO: 

.  .  .  JAMKg  J.  AYEBS,  SUPT.  STATE  PRINTING. 

1886. 


4V* 


Kin       il 

METEOROLOGY  AND  CLIMATOLOGY  ^ 

x^*  AJ  ,',  J.  v  »  -^•" 


OF  THE 


GREAT  VALLEYS  AND  FOOTHILLS 


CALIFORNIA, 


FOR  FROM  FIFTEEN  TO  THIRTY-SIX  YEARS. 


Collated  and  compiled  by  Sergeant  JAMES  A.  BARWICK,  Observer  Signal  Corps,  U.  S.  A., 
and  Meteorologist  to  the  State  Board  of  Agriculture. 


SACRAMENTO: 

STATE    OFFICE, JAMES   J.    AYERS,    SUPT.    STATE    PRINTING. 

1886. 


Compliments  of 

SERGEANT'  JAMES  A.  BARWICK, 

Observer  Signal  Corps  U.  S.  A., 

AND  METEOROLOGIST  TO  THE  STATE  BOARD  OF  AGRICULTURE, 

•  Sacramento,  California. 

[PLEASE  ACKNOWLEDGE  RECEIPT  OF  THIS  REPORT.] 


473364 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 

Sacramento  (Winter  rainfall),  from  1853  to  1886. .' 3 

Sacramento  (Spring  rainfall),  from  1853  to  1885 4 

Sacramento  (Summer  rainfall),  from  1853  to  1885.  -  5 

Sacramento  (Autumn  rainfall),  from  1853  to  1885 -  <> 

Sacramento  (season  and  yearly  rainfall),  from  1853  to  1886. 7 

Sacramento  (Spring,  Summer,  Fall,  Winter,  and  annual  rainfall),  from  1849  to  1886.  8 

Sacramento  (mean  Winter  temperature),  from  1853  to  1886 9 

Sacramento  (mean  Spring  temperature),  from  1853  to  1885-..  10 

Sacramento  (mean  Summer  temperature),  from  1853  to  1885. ..  11 

Sacramento  (mean  Autumn  temperature),  from  1853  to  1885...  12 

Sacramento  (average  annual  and  season  temperatures),  from  1853  to  1885...  13 

Sacramento  (barometer,  humidity,  temperature,  etc.),  from  1878  to  1885 14 

Sacramento  (barometer,  humidity,  temperature,  etc.,  by  seasons),  from  1878  to  1885.  14-16 
Sacramento  (wind,  direction  and  velocity ;  clear,  fair,  cloudy,  and  rainy  days  for 

each  season  of  the  year),  from  1878  to  1885.. -  16-17 

Sacramento  (number  of  times  wind  blew  from  each  point  'of  the  compass),  from 

1878  to  1885 , -  17-18 

Sacramento  (clear,  fair,  and  cloudy  days,  and  days  on  which  rain  fell),  from  1878  to 

1885 ----  19 

Sacramento,  summary  of  the  weather  for  each  month  of  1885 19-21 

Sacramento,  maximum  velocity  and  direction  of  wind  for  each  month  of  1885,  and 

January,  February,  and  March,  1886 21 

Oakland,  barometrical  pressure  for  1885 22 

Oakland,  temperature  for  1885 22-23 

Oakland,  relative  humidity  for  1885 — - 23 

Oakland,  monthly  rainfall  from  1873  to  1885 -  24 

Oakland,  monthly  summary  for  1885 24-26 

Oakland,  weather  comparisons  from  1876  to  1885 27 

Salinas,  mean  temperature - 28 

Salinas,  highest  temperature 28 

Salinas,  lowest  temperature 29 

To  way,  mean  temperature . 29 

Poway ,  highest  temperature 30 

Poway,  lowest  temperature . 30 

San  Diego,  highest  temperature -  31 

San  Diego,  lowest  temperature 31 

Poway,  rainfall  from  November,  1878,  to  March,  1886 .  31 

San  Diego,  rainfall  from  November,  1871,  to  March,  1886. 32 

San  Bernardino,  rainfall  from  July,  1870,  to  March,  1886 32 

Los  Angeles,  rainfall  from  February,  1872,  to  March,  1886 33 

Salinas,  rainfall  from  July,  1872,  to  March,  1886 33 

San  Francisco,  rainfall  from  July,  1849,  to  March,  1886 34 

Oakland,  rainfall  from  October,  1873,  to  March,  1886 35 

Sacramento,  rainfall  from  September,  1849,  to  April,  1886 36 

2 


VI  CONTENTS. 


Folsom,  rainfall  from  September,  1871,  to  March,  1886 

Placerville,  rainfall  from  October,  1879,  to  March,  1886 

Georgetown,  rainfall  from  November,  1872,  to  March,  1886. 

Grass  Valley,  rainfall  from  January,  1873,  to  March,  1886 

West  Butte,  rainfall  from  November,  1879,  to  March,  1886 

Marysville,  rainfall  from  September,  1882,  to  March,  1886... 

Oro ville,  rainfall  from  September,  1884,  to  March,  1886 

Colusa,  rainfall  from  January,  1881,  to  March,  1886 • 

Princeton,  rainfall  from  January,  1875,  to  March,  1886 

Red  Bluff,  rainfall  from  July,  1877,  to  March,  1886 

Yreka,  rainfall  from  April,  1872,  to  March,  1886 

Scott  Valley,  rainfall  from  August,  1859,  to  March,  1886 

Santa  Barbara,  rainfall  from  1870-71,  to  1885-86 .' 44-4<i 

Rainf all  for  twenty-six  seasons  at  Scott  Valley 

Rainfall  for  thirteen  seasons  at  Yreka 

Rainfall  for  thirteen  seasons  at  Weaverville 

Rainfall  for  four  seasons  at  Reed's  Camp 

Rainfall  for  eight  seasons  at  Red  Bluff 

Rainfall  for  ten  seasons  at  Princeton 

Rainfall  for  thirteen  seasons  at  Colusa 

Rainf  ah1  for  six  seasons  at  West  Butte 

Rainfall  for  three  seasons  at  Marysville 

Rainfall  for  thirteen  seasons  at  Grass  Valley -  - __..-. 

Rainfall  for  thirteen  seasons  at  Georgetown --_ 

Rainfall  for  eight  seasons  at  Placerville 

Rainfall  for  eighteen  seasons  at  Shingle  Springs 

Rainfall  for  fourteen  seasons  at  Folsom 

Rainfall  for  thirty-six  seasons  at  Sacramento 

Rainfall  for  twelve  seasons  at  Oakland. .. - 

Rainfall  for  thirty-six  seasons  at  San  Francisco 

Rainfall  for  thirteen  seasons  at  Salinas .' ., 

Rainfall  for  six  seasons  at  Visalia 

Rainfall  for  thirteen  seasons  at  Los  Angeles 

Rainfall  for  fourteen  seasons  atSan  Diego 

Rainfall  for  six  seasons  at  Poway - 

Rainfall  from  Fort  Jones  to  Poway  for  January,  1886 

Rainfall  and  average  for  January,  1886.    By  Lieutenant  W.  A.  Glassf ord 

Rainfall  and  average  for  February,  1886.    By  Lieutenant  W.  A.  Glassford 

Aiken,  South  Carolina,  comparative  temperatures 

Atlanta,  Georgia,  comparative  temperatures 

Atlantic  City,  New  Jersey,  comparative  temperatures 

Algiers,  comparative  temperatures 

Boston,  Massachusetts,  comparative  temperatures _ 

Baltimore,  Maryland,  comparative  temperatures 

Bermuda,  Atlantic  Ocean,  comparative  temperatures 

Charleston,  South  Carolina,  comparative  temperatures 

Charlotte,  North  Carolina,  comparative  temperatures 

Cadi/,  Spain,  comparative  temperatures 

Cape  Henry,  Virginia,  comparative  temperatures 

Cairo,  Egypt,  comparative  temperatures 

Cape  May,  New  Jersey,  comparative  temperatures 

<'li;itt;mooi.M,  Tennessee,  comparative  temperatures 


CONTENTS.  Vll 

PAGE. 

Cincinnati,  Ohio,  comparative  temperatures . . 51 

Columbus,  Ohio,  comparative  temperatures -  51 

Chicago,  Illinois,  comparative  temperatures 51 

Cheyenne,  Wyoming  Territory,  comparative  temperatures 51 

Detroit,  Michigan,  comparative  temperatures 51 

Dubuque,  Iowa,  comparative  temperatures 51 

Des  Moines,  low'a,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Dodge  City,  Kansas,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Denver,  Colorado,  comparative  temperatures 52 

El  Paso,  Texas,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Florence,  Italy,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Funchal,  Madeira,  comparative  temperatures '52 

Galveston,  Texas,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Grand  Haven,  Michigan,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Havana,  Cuba,  comparative  temperatures. 52 

Indianapolis,  Indiana,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Jerusalem,  Palestine,  comparative  temperatures - 52 

Jacksonville,  Florida,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Key  West  Florida,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Knoxville,  Tennessee,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Louisville,  Kentucky,  comparative   temperatures .. 52 

Lisbon,  Portugal,  comparative  temperatures.- 52 

Los  Angeles,  California,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Little  Rock,  Arkansas,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Leavenworth,  Kansas,  comparative  temperatures . . 52 

Mexico  City,  Mexico,  comparative  temperatures 1 '52 

Malta,  comparative  temperatures . 52 

Men  tone,  France,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Mobile,  Alabama,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Memphis,  Tennessee,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Milwaukee,  Wisconsin,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Nassau,  Bahama  Islands,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Nice,  Italy,  comparative  temperatures 52 

New  Haven,  Connecticut,  comparative  temperatures 52 

New  York  City,  N  ew  York,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Norfolk,  Virginia,  comparative  temperatures - ,  52 

New  Orleans,  Louisiana,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Omaha,  Nebraska,  comparative  temperatures 52 

<  hikland,  California,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Pau,  France,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Pensacola,  Florida,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Prescott,  Arizona,  comparative  temperatures . . •  52 

Rome,  Italy,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Red  Bluff,  California,  comparative  temperatures 52 

St.  Michael's,  Azores,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Santa  Cruz,  Canary  Islands,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Sandy  Hook,  New  York,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Savannah,  Georgia,  comparative  temperatures 52 

St.  Louis,  Missouri,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Springfield,  Illinois,  comparative  temperatures 52 

St.  Augustine,  Florida,  comparative  temperatures •. 52 


Vlll  CONTENTS. 

I'AGK. 

Santa  Fe,  New  Mexico,  comparative  temperatures • 52 

Salt  Lake  City,  Utah  Territory,  comparative  temperatures , 52 

Sacramento,  California,  comparative  temperatures 52 

San  Francisco,  California,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Salinas,  California,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Santa  Barbara,  California,  comparative  temperatures ... 52 

San  Diego,  California,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Visalia,  California,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Vera  Cruz,  Mexico,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Wilmington,  North  Carolina,  comparative  temperatures .  _        52 

Washington  City,  District  of  Columbia,  comparative  temperatures. . .'. 52 

Yankton,  Dakota  Territory,  comparative  temperatures - 52 

Yuma,  Arizona,  comparative  temperatures 52 

Modifying  effects  the  great  deserts  of  California  and  Nevada  have  upon  the  tempera- 
ture of  the  interior  valleys  of  California.    By  the  late  B.  B.  Redding.: 5:i-55 

Climate  of  the  Sacramento  and  San  Joaquin  Valleys,  and  the  foothills.    By  the  late 

B.  B.  Redding 55-5S 

Weather  comparisons  at  San  Diego 5H 

Weather  comparisons  at  Los  Angeles. .. ._ 50 

Weather  comparisons  at  San  Francisco 50 

Weather  comparisons  at  Sacramento. _._ 50 

Weather  comparisons  at  Red  BlufF_ 60 

Weather  comparisons  at  Oroville 60-01 

Storms  of  the  Pacific  Coast  of  America ...r • 01-63 

Northerly  winds  of  California.    By  J.  H.  C.  Bonte ({4-75 

Climate  of  Jerusalem  and   Palestine.     By  Selah  Merrill,  United  States  Consul  at 

Jerusalem ._  75-70 


METEOROLOGY  AND  CLIMATOLOGY 


OF   THE 


GREAT  VALLEYS  AND  FOOTHILLS  OF  CALIFORNIA 

FOR  FROM  FIFTEEN  TO   THIRTY-SIX  YEARS. 


Collated  and  compiled  by  SERGEANT  JAMES  A.  BARWICK,  Observer  Signal  Corps  U.  S.  A. 
and  Meteorologist  to  the  State  Board  of  Agriculture. 


To  the  Secretary  of  the  State  Agricultural  Society  of.  California: 

SIR:  I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  meteorological  report  on 
the  climate  of  California,  and  more  especially  that  of  the  great  interior 
valleys  of  this  State.  There  will  be  found  the  rainfall  by  seasons,  Spring, 
Summer,  Autumn,  and  Winter,  for  Sacramento,  compiled  from  observations 
taken  by  Dr.  T.  M.  Logan,  Dr.  F.  W.  Hatch,  and  those  of  the  United  States 
Signal  Service,  covering  a  period  from  1853  to  April  1,  1886.  Also  a  gen- 
eral review  of  the  meteorological  condition  of  Sacramento,  as  deduced  from 
Signal  Service  observations  from  July  1,  1877,  to  February  28,  1886;  show- 
ing the  pressure  of  the  atmosphere  by  seasons,  the  temperature,  direction  of 
wind,  velocity  of  wind,  clear,  fair,  cloudy,  and  rainy  days,  and  various  other 
data  pertaining  to  the  climatic  conditions  of  the  above  named  city.  A 
tabulated  statement  of  rainfall  by  months,  years,  and  seasons,  from  near 
Fort  Jones,  in  Scott  Valley,  Yreka,  Red  Bluff,  Oroville,  Marysville,  Colusa, 
Princeton,  West  Butte,  Grass  Valley,  Placerville,  Georgetown,  Nicolaus, 
Folsom  City,  Sacramento,  Oakland,  San  Francisco,  Salinas,  Santa  Barbara, 
Los  Angeles,  San  Bernardino,  San  Diego,  and  Poway;  the  above  places 
give  the  rainfall  for  from  one  to  thirty-four  years,  making  quite  a  fair  aver- 
age estimate  of  the  precipitation  from  San  Diego  to  Siskiyou,  and  from 
the  Sierras  to  the  sea.  A  supplemental  report  of  the  rainfall  for  January, 
1886,  and  for  the  season  of  1885-6,  up  to  February  1,  for  the  above  named 
places.  Also  a  tabulated  statement  of  the  average  rainfall  for  January  and 
February  for  many  years,  and  the  rainfall  for  January  and  February,  1886. 
The  average  seasonal  rainfall  up  to  March  first,  for  many  years,  along  with 
the  rainfall  for  this  season,  1885-6,  up  to  March  first,  for  each  Signal  Ser- 
vice Station,  and  for  the  stations  of  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad  Com- 
pany, voluntary  observers,  and  Post  Surgeons.  This  data  was  collated  and 
tabulated  at  the  United  States  Signal  Service  Office,  Division  of  the  Pacific, 
at  San  Francisco,  Lieut,  W.  A.  Glassford,  United  States  Army,  assistant 
officer  in  charge. 

A  complete  meteorological  report  and  weather  review  of  the  climate  of 
Oakland  for  1885,  and  comparison  for  ten  years  past,  by  J.  B.  Trembley, 
M.D.,  Oakland. 

An  instructive  and  interesting  article  entitled,  "  Storms  on  the  Pacific 
Coast  of  North  America,"  from  the  annual  report  of  the  Chief  Signal  Offi- 
cer of  the  Army. 

A  portion  of  two  articles  by  the  late  the  Honorable  B.  B.  Redding,  and 


ofore 'published*  in  the  report  of  the  Agricultural  Society  of  California, 
for  the  years  1877  and  1878. 

That  published  in  1877  bears  more  especially  upon  the  "temperature 
distributions  of  the  interior  valleys  of  this  State,  and  the  effects  the  great 
deserts  of  California  and  Nevada  have  upon  it;"  and  the  one  in  1878  on  the 
"  climatic  condition  of  the  entire  valley  from  Redding  on  the  north  to  Sum- 
ner  on  the  south,"  in  which  will  be  found  the  essence,  foundation,  as  it  were, 
of  the  climatic  conditions  of  the  great  valleys  and  foothills  in  regard  to  the 
cultivation  of  all  kinds  of  fruits,  both  semi-tropical  and  otherwise;  gives 
information  how  to  choose,  in  the  foothills  and  valley,  proper  sites  for 
certain  fruits,  grains,  etc. 

A  brief  synopsis  of  the  meteorological  features  of  the  following  signal 
service  stations  in  the  order  named:  San  Diego,  Los  Angeles,  San  Fran- 
cisco, Sacramento,  and  Red  Bluff.  A  table  of  interesting  matter,  composed 
of  the  most  prominent  places  of  California,  and  other  portions  of  the  United 
States,  and  health  resorts  of  Europe  and  Mexico,  showing  the  mean  annual 
temperature,  mean  temperature  for  Spring,  Summer,  Fall,  and  Winter, 
along  with  the  highest  arid  lowest  temperature  for  many  years.  This  table 
shows  that  California  compares  with  other  noted  health  resorts  and  promi- 
nent places  in  a  highly  complimentary  manner  to  this  State. 

The  "  North  Winds  of  California,"  always  an  interesting  study,  have  been 
reproduced,  being  from  the  pen  of  the  Rev.  J.  H.  C.  Bonte,  Secretary  of 
the  State  University  of  California. 

An  excellent  report  on  the  climate  of  Palestine,  and  more  particularly 
Jerusalem,  by  Mr.  Selah  Merrill,  United  States  Consul  at  the  latter  place. 
That  climate  will  be  found  to  resemble  our  own  in  a  great  many  respects, 
especially  at  Colfax,  which  is  nearly  the  same  elevation  as  Jerusalem.  It 
is  an  article  that  will  well  repay  a  careful  perusal. 

The  meteorological  report  of  California  for  1885  embodies  all  the  most 
salient  points  of  the  climate  of  this  State  that  has  been  written  and  pub- 
lished heretofore  at  various  times  and  places,  being  a  gathering  of  all 
worthy  articles  known  to  the  writer  on  the  climatic  peculiarities  of  this 
State,  making  this  report  (1885)  of  especial  value  as  a  book  of  reference  on 
subjects  relating  to  various  conditions  of  a  meteorological  and  climatological 
nature. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

SERGEANT  JAMES  A.  BARWICK, 

Observer  Signal  Corps,  United  States  Army,  and  Meteorologist  to  the  State 
Board  of  Agriculture. 

SACRAMENTO,  Cal.,  February  28,  1886. 


RAINFALL.  TEMPERATURE,  ETC,  AT  SACRAMENTO,  CA 


Sacramento  is  situated  in  north  latitude,  38°  35';  longitude  west  from 
GreeS  ',m°  30';  above  sea  level,  30  feet;  height  of  barometer  cistern 
above  sea  level,  64  feet. 

RAINFALL    FOR   THE   WINTER    SEASONS. 

The  following  tabulated  statement  shows  the  rainfall  and  number  of  days 
that  rain  fell  for  each  Winter  month;  also,  the  total  rainfall  and  total  num- 
ber of  days  that  rain  fell  during  the  entire  Winter  seasons^  the  W  n 
seasons  beginning  with  the  Winter  of  1852-3,  and  ending  with  the  Winter 
Tf  1885-6  "  The'three  Winter  months  composing  f*^*?™ 
crave  the  heaviest  rainfall  was  during  the  Winter  of  1861-2:  27.94 
The  driest  Winter  was  that  of  1863-4  :  3.09  inches: 


WINTER  OF  — 

DECEMBER. 

JANUARY.              -     FEBRUARY. 

Total  for 
Winter 

Months. 

Total  No. 
Days  for 
Winter. 

Inches. 

No.  of 
Days. 

No.  of 
Inches.        Days. 

Inches. 

No.  of 
Days. 

1852  3 

13.41 
1.54  ! 
1.15  ; 

2.00  ; 

2.40  ; 
2.63 

20 
4 
8 
13 
13 
13 
17 
17 
20 
22 
11 
10 
16 
9 
21 
18 
11 

6 

22 
13 
21 
17 
14 

3.00 
3.25 
2.67 
4.92 
1.38 
2.44 
.96 
2.31 
2.67 
15.04 
1.73 
1.08 
4.78 
7.70 
3.44 
6.04 
4.79 
1.37 
2.08 
4.04 
1.23 
5.20 
8.70 
4.99 
2.77 
9.26 
3.18 
1.64 
6.14 
1.89 
2.23 
3.43 
2.16 
7.95 

136.46 

12 
6 
15 
16 
14 
21 
19 
15 
10 
20 

>? 

13 
18 
15 
17 
14 
9 
8 
11 
10 
14 
14 
13 
11 
17 
11 
7 
9 
8 
4 
9 
8 
13 

418 
12.3 

2.00 
8.50 
3.46 
.69 
4.80 
2.46 
3.91 
.93 
2.92 
4.26 
2.75 
.19 
.71 
2.01 
7.10 
3.15 
3.63 
3.24 
1.92 
4.74 
4.46 
1.86 
.55 
3.75 
1.04 
8.04 
3.88 
1.83 
5.06 
2.40 
1.11 
4.46 
.49 
.29 

6 
14 
7 
6 
17 
13 
18 
14 
9 
11 
11 
2 

6 
11 
9 
9 
5 
11 
11 
18 
17 
9 
2 

10 
9 
17 
9 
10 
13 
6 
3 
10 
6 
5 

18.41 
13.29 
7.28 
7.61- 
8.58 
7.53 
9.21 
5.07 
9.87 
27.94 
6.81 
3.09 
13.36 
10.07 
20.05 
22.04 
11.03 
6.57 
4.97 
19.47 
11.08 
17.07 
9.69 
14.26 
3.81 
18.73 
7.53 
6.88 
23.01 
7.56 
4.47 
8.33 
13.10 
14.00 

38 
24 
30 
35 
44 
47 
54 
46 
39 
53 
32 
19 
35 
38 
45 
44 
30 
27 
25 
51 
40 
44 
33 
37 
20 
39 
23 
29 
43 
25 
15 
95 

25 

28 

1853-4 

1854  5                          

1855-6 

1856-7 

1857  8                • 

1858  9                             -   -- 

4.34 
1.83 

4.2H 
8.64 
2.33  ; 

1.82  i 
7.87  ! 
.36 
9.51  ; 
12.85  . 

1859  (iO 

18(iO  1 

1861  2                         

1862-3                         -     -  - 

1863  4 

18(54  5 

1865-6                         

1  866-7 

1867  8 

1868-9 

2.61  i 

]i?  I 

10.49  ', 
5.39  ! 
10.01 
.44 
5,52 

1869  70                           -  - 

1870-1 

1871  2 

1872  3                -__..--- 

1873-4                     . 

1874  5 

1875-0 

1  87(5—7 

1877  8                   -.'.--- 

1.43 
.47 
3.41 
11.81 
3.27 
1.13 

5 
3 
12 
21 
11 
8 
6 
11 
10 

430 

1878  9                   -- 

1879-80 

1880  1 

1881  2                     

1882  3 

1883-4 

.44 
10.45 

1884  5 

1H85-6    .  !       5.76 

Totals  152.75 

102.59 

334 

391.77 
I    11.523 

1,182 
*64.8 

Averages  for  34  years  - 

.      4.493 

12.6 

4.014 

3.017 

9.8 

MEAN    SPRING    RAINFALL. 

The  table  below  will  be  found  to  contain  the  record  of  rainfall  and 
number  of  days  rain  fell  during  the  Spring  months  and  for  the  Spring 
season.  It  informs  us  that  the  wettest  Spring  season  was  that  of  1880 — 
16.66  inches;  and  the  driest  was  that  of  1857 — .68  of  an  inch;  the  mean 
average  for  thirty-three  years  being  5.219  inches,  showing  a  deficiency  of 
nearly  5  inches  in  the  dry  season  of  1857,  and  an  excess  of  over  11  inches 
during  the  wet  Spring  of  1880,  as  compared  with  a  thirty-three  years  average : 


SPUING  OF  — 

MARCH. 

APRIL. 

MAY. 

Total  for 
Spring 
Months. 

Total  No. 
Days  for 

Spriujr. 

Inches. 

No.  of 
Days. 

Inches. 

No.  of 
Days. 

Inches. 

No.  of 
Days. 

1853 

7.00 
3.25 
4.20 
1.40 
.68 
2.88 
1.64 
5.11 
3.32 
2.80 
2.36 
1.39 
.48 
2.02 
1.01 
4.35 
2.94 
1.64 
.69 
1.94 
.55 
3.05 
.80 
4.15 
56 

8 
4 
9 
5 
10 
13 
14 
17 
7 
15 
10 
12 
7 
11 
(i 
12 
12 
6 
8 
10 
4 
10 
9 
13 
7 
14 
14 
7 
6 
10 
6 
13 
2 

3.50 
1.50 
4.32 
2.13 
sprink. 
1.21 
.98 
2.87 
.48 
.82 
1.69 
1.08 
1.37 
.48 
1.80 
2.31 
1.24 
2.12 
1.45 
.61 
.51 
.89 
sprink. 
1.10 
.19 
1.07 
2.66 
14.20 
-1.64 
1.99 
.67 
4.32 
.68 

7 
9 
9 
8 
1 
3 
6 
8 
^ 

9 
9 
4 
3 
6 
7 
9 
5 
7 
6 
6 
4 
10 
3 
10 
7 
3 
12 
15 
(! 

i 

1.45 
.21 
1.15 
1.84 
sprink. 
.20 
1.04 
2.49 
.59 
1.81 
.36 
.74 
.46 
2.25 
.01 
.27 
.65 
.27 
.      .76 
.28 

4 
4 
(i 
4 
3 
4 
4 
10 
3 
9 
2 

8 

2 

i 

2 
2 
1 
5 
3 

11.95 
4.9(> 
9.67 
5.37 
.68 
4.29 
3.66 
10.47 
4.39 
5.43 
4.41 
3.12 
2.31 
4.7,") 
2.82 
6.93 
4.83 
•  4.03 
2.90 
2.83 
1.06 
4.31 
.80 
5.40 
1.39 
4.33 
8.84 
1(5  66 
3.01 
6.12 
7.22 
12.52 
.76 

19 
17 
24 
17 
14 
20 
24 
35 
14 
33 

21 

24 
12 
>>•> 

14 
23 
19 
14 
19 
19 
8 
26 
13 
27 
20 
21 
31 
25 
13 
19 
22 
25 
10 

1854 

1855 

1856  

1857    .... 

1858 

1859 

1860  

1861    

1862 

1863 

1864  

1865  

1866 

1867 

1868  

1869  

1870      . 

1871 

1872 

1873 

1874    ...  :  

.37 
sprink. 
.15 
.64 
.17 
1.30 
.76 
sprink. 
.35 
2.85 
.06 
sprink. 

6 
1 
4 
(i 
4 
5 
3 
1 
1 
9 
3 
1 

1875    . 

1876 

1877 

1878  

3.09 
4.88 
1.70 
1.37 
3.78 
3.70 
8.14 
.08 

1879    

1880 

1881 

1882  A  

1883    . 

1884    

1885 

Totals  

86.86 

311 

61.88 

227 

23.48 
.711 

126 

172.22 

664 

Averages  for  33  years  . 

2.632 

9.4 

1.875 

6.9 

3.8. 

5.219 

20.1 

\ 


MEAN    SUMMER    RAINFALL. 


In  the  recorded  statement  below  will  be  found  the  rainfall  for  .each 
month  of  our  dry  Summer  season;  also,  the  total  for  the  season,  as  well  as 
the  total  number  of  days,  etc.,  that  rain  fell.  The  average  for  the  thirty- 
three  years  past  is  .168  of  an  inch.  The  Summer  season  that  gave  the 
most  rainfall  was  that  of  1884 — 1.45  inches.  But  five  seasons  of  the  thirty- 
three  gave  none,  those  being  1859,  1863,  1867,  1878,  and  1883: 


SUMMER  OF  — 

Jt'XE. 

JULY. 

AUGUST. 

Total  for 
Summer 
Months. 

Total  No. 
Days  for 
Summer. 

3 
3 
1 

1 
3 

7 

Inches. 

No.  of 
Days. 

Inches. 

No.  of 
Days. 

'-he,       5£ 

1853 

sprink.  j            1 
.31  I            '2 

sprink. 

2 

sprink. 
.31 
.01 
.03 
.35 
.11 

1854 

sprink.             1 

1855 

.01 
.03 
.35 
.10 

1 
1 
2 
2 

1856 

1 

1857 

sprink.             1 
sprink.             4 

1858      -..    

.61         I 

1859 

1860 

.02 
.14 
.01 

2 
4 

1 

.03 
.55 

.05 
.69 
.02 

2 

7 
2 

1861 

3 

1862 

.01              1 

1863 

1864 

.09 

3 

.08              6 

.17 
sprink. 
.12 

9 
3 
5 

1865 

sprink.             3 
'     .02              3 

1866 

.10 

2 

1867 

1868 

sprink. 
.01 
sprink. 
sprink. 
.02 
sprink. 
sprink. 
1.10 

3 
1 

1 
1 
1 
1 
2 
2 

. 

sprink. 
.01 
sprink. 
sprink. 
:02 
.02 
sprink. 
1.10 
.23 
.01 

3 
1 
3 
1 
1 
4 
3 
2 

3 
3 

1869 

1870    

sprink. 

1 

sprink.             1 

1871        .     - 

1872 



1873 

.02 
sprink. 

2 
1 

sprink. 

1 

1874      

1875    . 

1876 

.21 
sprink. 

2 
1 

.02 
sprink. 

1 

1 

1877  

.01 

1 

1878    . 

1879 

.13 

1 

sprink. 
sprink. 
sprink. 
sprink. 

; 

1 

sprink. 

1 

.13 

sprink. 
.50 
.10 

3 
1 
3 
2 

1880 

1881 

.50 
.10 

2 
1 

1882  

1883          

1884 

1.45 
•      .11 

I 

sprink. 
none 

1 

1.45 
.11 

8 
3 

1885 

sprink. 

1 

Totals     

4.59 

47           .84 

24 

.11 

19 

5.54 

90 

Averages  for  33  years. 

.139 

1.4 

.026 

0.7 

.003 

0.6 

.168 

2.7 

MEAN    AUTUMNAL    RAINFALL. 


The  table  following  shows  the  Autumnal  rainfall  by  months  and  total  for 
the  Fall  season,  both  of  rainfall  and  number  of  days  rain  fell,  for  the  last 
thirty-three  years,  the  wettest  being  the  Fall  season  of  1885 — 11.44  inches; 
the  driest  being  that  of  1880 — .05  of  an  inch: 


FALL  OF  — 

SEPTEMBER. 
Inches.         DayS 

(  )(  T< 

Inches. 

1!KI{. 

No.  of 
Days. 

XOVF 
Inches. 

MBEK. 

No,  of 
Days. 

Total  for 
Autumn 

Months. 

1  Total  No. 
Days  tor 
;  Autumn. 

1853    .                   .    ^    . 

spriiik. 
sprink. 
sprink. 
sprink. 

1 
1 
1 
1 

sprink. 
1.01 

1 
11 

1.50 
.65 
.75 
.65 
2.41 
.15 
6.48 
.18 
2.17 
sprink. 
1.49 
6.72 
2.43 
2.43 
3.81 
.77 
.85 
.58 
1.22 
1.93 
1.21 
3.80 
-6.20 
.30 
1.07 
.51 
2.05 
.05 
1.88 
3.22 
.61 

i 

9 
10 
10 
11 
15 
.  5 
12 
2 
7 
9 
9 
8 
6 
5 
5 
6 
8 
4 
5 
9 
10 
1 
7 
3 
8 
2 
4 
7 
3 

1.50 
1.66 

.75 
.85 
3.06 
3.16 
6.50 
1.15 
2.17 
.36 
1.49 
(5.84 
2.99 
2.43 
3.82 
.77 
2.97 
.60 
1.43 
2.15 
1.52 
6.11 
6.64 
3.75 
1.80 
1.35 
2.93 
.05 
2.73 
8.42 
2.48 
2.61 
11.44 

96.48 
2.924 

i 
14 
10 
17 
13 
21 
18 
16 
13 
8 
8 
12 
18 
9 

5 

8 
8 
10 
8 
9 
18 
14 
9 
12 

12 
2 

11 
15 
11 

7 
20 

377 
11.4 

1854    .     _ 

1855 

1856 

.20 
.65 
3.01 

6 
3 
5 

1857  -  

1858    

sprink. 
.02 
.06 

5 
3 
2 

1859 

1860 

.91 
sprink. 
.36 

9 
1 

6 

1861 

1862    ! 

1863    . 

sprink. 
sprink. 

'     .08 

1 

1 
4 

1864 

.12 

.48 
sprink. 

2 
5 
1 

1865 

1866  

1867    

.01 

1 

1868 

1869 

sprink. 

1 

2.12 
.02 
.21 
.22 
.31 
2.26 
.44 
3.45 
.73 
.55 
.88 

2 
2 
1 

9 

4 
8 
4 
7 
5 
1 

1870  

1871    

sprink. 
sprink. 

1 

9 

1872 

1873 

1874  

.05 

1 

1875    -  

1876  . 

sprink. 

1 

1877 

1878 

.29 

3 

1879  

1880    

1881 

.30 
.57 
.90 

.60 

.08 

2.96 

1 

9 

2 
3 
1 

39 

.55 
2.63 
.97 
2.01 
.02 

24.11 

6 
6 

6 
4 
2 

114 

1882 

1883 

1884 

1885               

11.34 
69.41 
2.104 

17 

— 

6.8 

Totals 

Averages  for  33  years. 

.090 

1  2 

.731 

3.5 

YEARLY  AND  SEASONAL  RAINFALL,  ETC. 

The  instructive  tabulated  information  below  gives  the  rainfall  annually — 
that  is,  from  January  to  December  of  each  year — for  thirty-three  years. 
Also,  the  rainfall  by  seasons,  beginning  with  September  first  of  one  year 
and  ending  with  August  thirty-first  of  the  next  year,  the  wettest  season 
being  1861-2—35.56  inches;  the  driest  that  of  1863-4—7.87  inches;  the 
wettest  calendar  year  being  1880 — 31.99  inches;  the  driest  being  1877 — 
8.44  inches;  the  mean  average  seasonal  rainfall  for  thirty-two  years  being 
19.076  inches;  the  mean  average  for  the  year,  or  the  mean  annual  average, 
being  19.529  inches.  The  difference  between  the  mean  average  rainfall, 
calculating  from  January  first  to  December  thirty-first  of  each  year,  and 
from  September  first  of  one  year  to  August  thirty-first  of  next  year,  is  .453 
of  an  inch  in  favor  of  the  calendar  year: 


YKAH  OF  — 

Yearly  Itaiu- 
fall. 

Total 
No.  of  Days 
Rain  Fell. 

Season  of  — 

Rainfall— 
Inches. 

Total  No. 
of  Days. 

1853 

1999 

51 

1854        .     ...                  . 

19.83 

62 

1853-54 

20.06 

51 

1855 

18.56 

70 

1854-55 

18.62 

69 

1856  !  

14.26 

70 

1855-56 

13.76 

63 

1857  

12.91 

74 

1856-57 

10.46 

78 

1858 

16.80 

99 

1857-58 

15.00 

87 

1859 

16.86 

97 

1858-59 

16.03 

100 

1860 

1919 

72 

1859-60 

22.09 

101 

1861  •        

21.38 

75 

1860-61 

16.10 

76 

1862 

27.44 

85 

1861-62 

35.56 

100 

1863 

12.20 

60 

1862-63 

1158 

64 

1864  

19.27 

67 

1863-64 

7.87 

57 

1865  

11.15 

61  • 

1864-65 

22.51 

62 

1866 

26.52 

86 

1865-66 

1793 

83 

1867 

3003 

63 

1866-67 

2530 

72 

1868  

19.50 

68 

1867-68 

32.79 

78 

1869  

18.19 

52 

1868-69 

16.64 

58 

1870 

10.21 

51 

1869-70 

13.57 

52 

1871 

19.32 

71 

1870-71 

847 

53 

1872 

1917 

70 

1871-72 

2405 

83 

1873  

18.20 

69 

1872-73 

14.21 

60 

1874  

17.92 

87 

1873-74 

2290 

82 

1875 

2331 

59 

1874-75 

1770 

71 

1876 

1812 

62 

1875-76 

2653 

75- 

1877  

8.44 

60 

1876-77 

8.96 

54 

1878  

23.45 

65 

1877-78 

24.86 

72 

1879 

2237 

78 

1878-79 

1785 

64 

1880 

3199 

66 

1879  80 

2647 

67 

1881 

2071 

60 

1880-81 

2657 

61 

1882  __ 

18.06 

58 

1881-82 

16.51 

57 

1883  .     .  . 

13.48 

,  46 

1882-83 

18.11 

52 

1884 

3492 

70 

1883-84 

24  78 

68 

1885  

20.72 

57 

1884-85 

16.58 

58 

1885-86 

1  28.12 

53 

Totals 

644.47 

2241 

61042 

2228 

Averages.   .     ..     

19.529 

*-67.9 

1  19.076 

69.6 

*  Mean  for  thirty-three  years, 
t  Moan  for  thirty -two  seasons. 
%  Up  to  April  1, 188G. 


RAINFALL  FOR  SPRING.  SUMMER,  AUTUMN,  WINTER,  AND  TOTAL  FOR  EACH  YEAR. 

The  following  table  gives  the  rainfall  for  each  season  of  Spring,  Sum- 
mer, Autumn,  and  Winter;  also  the  total  rainfall  for  each  year.  The  table 
shows  the  annual  rainfall  for  each  year,  beginning  with  the  year  1850. 
The  rainfall  for  the  Winter  seasons  begins  with  the  Winter  of  1849-50,  and 
ends  with  the  Winter  of  1885-86,  making  a  total  of  thirty-seven  Winters: 


YEAR. 

Rainfall 
for 
Spring. 

Rainfall 
for 
Summer. 

Rainfall 
for 
Autumn. 

Rainfall 
for 
Winter. 

Annual 
Rainfall. 

1849 

4.00 

*16  50 

1850 

1450 

none 

sprinkle 

1780 

1950 

1851 

371 

none 

332 

100 

15  10 

1852  

6.89 

none 

6.00 

7.77 

27.00 

1853 

11.95 

sprinkle 

1.50 

18.41 

19.99 

1854 

4.96 

166 

1329 

1983 

1855  

9.67 

.01 

.75 

7.28 

18.5(5 

1856  .   .. 

5.37 

.03 

.85 

7.61 

14.2(5 

1857 

.68 

.35 

3.08 

8.58 

12.91 

1858 

429 

.11 

3.16 

7.53 

16  80 

1859  

3.66 

none 

6.50 

9.21 

16.80 

1860         

10.47 

.05 

1.15 

5.07 

19.19 

1861 

4.39 

.69 

2.17 

9.87 

21.38 

1862 

5.43 

.02 

.36 

2794 

27.44 

1863  

4.41 

none 

1.49 

6,81 

12.20 

1864  __     

3.12 

.17 

6.84 

3.09 

19.27 

1865 

2.31 

sprinkle 

2.99 

13.36 

11.15 

1866 

4.75 

2.43 

10.07 

2(5.52 

1867  

2.82 

none 

3.82 

20.05 

30.03 

1868  

6.93 

sprinkle 

.77 

22.04 

19.50 

1869 

4.83 

.01 

2.97 

11.03 

18.19 

1870 

4.03 

sprinkle 

.60 

6.57 

10.21 

1871 

2.90 

sprinkle 

1.43 

4.97 

19.32 

1872.--- 

2.83 

.02 

2.15 

19.47 

19.17 

1873 

1.06 

.02 

1.52 

11.08 

18.20 

1874 

4.31 

sprinkle 

ail 

17.07 

17.92 

1875 

.80 

6.64 

9.69 

23.31 

1876  

5.40 

.23 

3.75 

14.2(5 

18.12 

1877.--       .            -  -.. 

1.39 

.01 

1.80 

3.81 

8.44 

1878 

4.33 

none 

1.35 

18.73 

23.45 

1879 

8.84 

.13 

2.93 

7.53 

22.37 

1880 

16.66 

sprinkle 

.05 

6.88 

31.99 

1881  -..   

3.01 

2.73 

23.01 

20.71 

1882  .                       

6.12 

.10 

(5.42 

7.5(5 

18.0(5 

1883                                                                  -     - 

7.22 

none 

2.48 

4.47 

13.48 

1884 

12.52 

1.45 

2.61 

8.33 

34.92 

1885 

.76 

.11 

11.44 

13.10 

20.72 

1886..       

14.00 

Totals                                                   

197.32 

5*4 

109.80 

418.04 

707.07 

Average 

5.481 

.154 

2.968 

11.298 

19.641 

*  Rainfall  for  September,  October,  November,  and  December,  1849. 


MEAN   WINTER   TEMPERATURE. 


The  tabulated  statement  below  shows  the  average  temperature  by  months > 
and  for  the  season  also.  The  Winter  seasons,  beginning  with  the  season 
of  1853-4,  and  ending  with  the  one  of  1885-6;  also,  showing  a  mean  aver- 
age for  thirty-three  years.  Judging  from  the  average  temperature  for  each 
season,  we  must  conclude  "that  the  season  of  1879-80  was  the  coldest — 
44.5°;  the  warmest  being  the  season  of  1881 — 51.0°;  the  mean  average  of 
thirty-two'  years  being  48.3°: 


WINTER  SEASON  OF— 

Mean  Temp.  — 
December. 

Mean  Temp.- 
January. 

Mean  Temp.  — 
February. 

Mean  Winter 
Temperature. 

1853-54 

48.0 

43.0 

51.0 

47.3 

1854  55 

47.9 

43.7 

525 

48.0- 

1855-56     

46.0 

48.0 

52.6 

48.9 

1856-57 

43.9 

48.5 

50.2 

47.5 

1857-58 

47.4 

450 

52.2 

48.2 

1858-59  

44.5 

44.9 

50.5 

46.6 

1859-60 

43.5 

46.2 

49.8 

46.5 

1860-61 

49.3 

471 

52.2 

49.5 

1861-62 

509 

464 

475 

483 

1862-63            

46.4 

46.9 

48.0 

47.1 

1863-64 

46.5 

49.2 

53.6 

498 

1864-65  

50.2 

47.4 

49.0 

48.9 

1865-66       

44.1 

46.5 

63.5 

51.4 

1866-67 

50.2 

48.2 

47.8 

48.7 

1867-68 

468 

470 

50.5 

481 

1868-69       

47.0 

47.6 

49.9 

48.2 

1869-70 

46.5 

486 

51.1 

48.7 

1870-71 

455 

483 

49.4 

477 

1871-72  

48.7 

48.5 

53.3 

50.2 

1872-73 

49.0 

52.7 

48.2 

50.0 

1873-74 

47.7 

457 

493 

476 

1874-75  

45.0 

46.9 

52.7 

48.2 

1875-76 

48.0 

48.8 

50.2 

49.0 

1876-77 

45.5 

491 

550 

499 

1877-78  

48.6 

49.7 

51.3 

49.9 

1878-79..     

47.2 

45.5 

55.0 

49.2 

1879-80 

440 

435 

460 

44.5 

1880-81 

503 

492 

535 

510 

1881-82  

46.2 

45.1 

46.3 

45.9 

1882-83  .  . 

48.2 

419 

46.0 

45.4 

1883-84 

442 

466 

469 

459 

1884-85  

48.8 

47.1 

54.0 

50.0 

1885-86  . 

49.1 

45.7 

53.3 

49.4 

Totals 

1555  1 

15485 

16823 

15955 

Averages  for  33  years 

471 

469 

51.0 

483 

10 


MEAN    SPRING    TEMPERATURE. 


The  table  below  will  be  found  to  contain  the  average  temperature  by 
months  for  the  Spring,  also  for  the  season.  The  warmest  one,  as  indicated 
by  its  average  temperature,  was  1853 — 62.9°;  the  coldest,  1880 — 55.0°;  the 
mean  average  Spring  temperature  being  59.5°: 


Mean  Temp.—  '  Mean  Temp.—  Mean  Temp.—  Mean  Spring 
March.        April.        Max.     Temperature. 

1853  -  -  ...  -_-_._--.---------.-- 

59.8 
53.0 
54.8 
57.0 
5(i.4 
53.7 
51.5 
53.3 
55.0 
53.6 
57.6 
56.1 
53.6 
54.2 
50.7 
55.0 
53.6 
53.0 
56.0 
56.8 
56.8 
52.9 
58.7 
54.6 
59.0 
58.7 
57.4 
48.8 
55.5' 
53.0 
56.9 
52.9 
59.1 

61.0        68. 
60.0       62. 
58.1  :     60. 
58.8  ,     63. 
63.3  i     (55. 
59.8  i     65. 
57.1       (53. 
57.  S       58. 
60.6       (53. 
58.0       (51. 
59.5       (57. 
62.1  !     (58. 
59.3       70. 
(51.9       (53. 
59.7  i     (54. 
60.1       64. 
59.0       (54. 
57.0       61. 
59.2  ;     61. 
57.6       (57. 
60.0  ;     67. 
59.5       <54. 
(53.0       (58. 
59.5       65. 
60.2       (54. 
59.4       65. 
60.3       (50. 
,54.6  i      (51. 
60.8       (>4. 
55.8       (54. 
56.0       62. 
56.7       (54. 
60.6       65. 

>         »>2.9 
1         .  58.3 
2         57.7 
)         5JU) 
>        61.7 
2         59.6 
0         57.2 
5         5(5.5 
7         59.8 
2         57.6 
1         61.4 
5         62.2 
2         61.0 
1         59.7 
4         58.3 
2         59.8 
2         58.9 
0         57.0 
5         5S.9 
0         (50.5 
9         61  .(i 
7        59.0 
1         (53.3 
7  i        59.9 
5  1        61.2 
5          60.5 
2         59.3 
i         55.0 
8         (50.4 
0         57.6 
6         58.5 
0         57.9 
7         61.8 

1854               

1855 

1856 

1857  .  

1858  .      

1859 

1860 

1861.  

1862  .-  .     

1863         - 

1864                         

1865 

1866  

1867       .  

1868              .   --  .-  . 

1869 

1870 

1871  

1872           

1873                     

1874 

1875 

1876 

1877        ...-  

1878               

1879                       

1880 

1881 

1882    '      ..  

1883               

1884              -     -  ..-  

1885 

Totals 

1817.0  1    1956.3     2121. 

7       1964.9 

Averages  for  33  years   

55.1  i     59.3       64. 

59.5 

11 


MEAN    SUMMER   TEMPERATURE. 


The  average  temperature  in  the  following  table  is  for  the  Summer  months 
and  for  the  Summer  season,  showing  by  their  average  temperature  that 
1866  was  the  warmest — 74.8°;  and  the  coldest  to  have  been  1880 — 69.1°; 
the  mean  average  for  thirty-three  years  is  71.7°;  the  season  of  1866  being 
2.9°  above  the  mean  average,  and  1880  being  2.6  °  below  the  mean  average 
for  the  past  thirty-three  years: 


SUMMER  SEASON  OF  — 

Mean  Temp.  — 
June. 

Mean  Temp.  — 
July. 

Mean  Temp.  — 
August. 

Mean  Summer 
Temperature. 

1853                   -.-   -  - 

77.0 

75.0 

71.0 

74.3 

1854 

67.0 

80.6 

69.5 

72.4 

1855 

71.1 

725 

730 

79  2 

185(1  

71.1 

75.1 

69.6 

71.9 

1857    --         -.  _.-  - 

71.9 

71.4 

71.3 

71.5 

1858 

69.4 

70.8 

706 

70.3 

1859 

74.8 

691 

672 

704 

1860 

V656 

732 

735 

708 

1861  .           

66.2 

73.6 

69.7 

69.8 

1862 

69.3 

732 

750 

725 

1863 

691 

756 

707 

71  8 

1864  

71.1 

74.8 

74.7 

73.5 

1865        

73.5 

74.0 

717 

731 

1866 

72.2 

762 

760 

74  8 

1867  

70.3 

73.7 

71.7 

71.9 

1868  _•  . 

69.5 

73.8 

71.2 

715 

1869    . 

70.8 

743 

713 

721 

1870 

693 

718 

726 

71  2 

1871  

70.1 

70.2 

72.0 

708 

1872  

69.2 

714 

731 

716 

1873  - 

71  7 

732 

663 

704 

1874 

702 

728 

709 

713 

1875 

706 

733 

795 

72  1 

1876  .  -  

76.9 

740 

7^8 

74  6 

1877 

725 

750 

729 

735 

1878  

71.8 

734 

734 

729 

1879  

72.1 

718 

74  7 

729 

1880  

66  6 

709 

697 

69  1 

1881 

660 

71  1 

68  9 

(585 

1882 

68  1 

734 

719 

71  1 

1883  

72.6 

731 

714 

724 

1884  

658 

712 

7^5 

698 

1885 

662 

710 

730 

70  1 

Totals  _-     . 

53196 

2414  5 

23656 

23666 

Averages  for  33  years 

703 

732 

71  7 

71  7 

12 


MEAN   AUTUMN   TEMPERATURE. 

The  average  temperature  for  the  Fall  season  indicates  the  Fall  of  1853 
as  being  the  warmest,  69.0°;  that  of  1881  was  the  coldest,  judging  from  the 
average  temperature,  58.5°.  The  average  mean  temperature  for  thirty-three 
years  past,  61.5°,  showing  the  average  of  1853  to  have  heen  7.5°  above  the 
mean  average,  and  that  of  1881  to  have  been  3.0°  below  the  mean  average 
temperature  for  the  past  thirty-three  years: 


FALL  SEASON  OF  — 

Mean  Temp.  — 
September. 

Mean  Temp.  — 
October. 

Mean  Temp.  — 
November. 

Mean  Autumn 
Temperature. 

1853 

760 

780 

53  0 

690 

1854.  .-  

65.0 

60.0 

55.0 

60.0 

1855  

68.0 

63.0 

50.6 

60.5 

1856                    _     .                  ... 

70.9 

58.0 

522 

604 

1857 

67.9 

61.5 

532 

609 

1858 

689 

595 

542 

609 

1859  

65.9 

63.3 

54.0 

61.1 

I860          

67.6 

59.8 

53.5 

60.3 

1861 

67.8 

59.9 

53.6 

604 

1862 

704 

67.6 

531 

637 

1863 

690 

628 

527 

615 

1864   

69.8 

64.5 

53.5 

62.6 

1865            .            

68.8 

63.1 

56.9 

62.9 

1866 

72.2 

65.2 

53.8 

63.7 

1867  

68.8 

62.7 

54.8 

62.1 

1868  

68.3 

62.0 

53.9 

61.4 

1869     

69.9 

63.1 

54.0 

62.3 

1870 

68.0 

63.6 

53.4 

61.7 

1871 

67.4 

62.2 

50.2 

59.9 

1872 

688 

58.9 

51.2 

59.6 

1873  -                .--  

69.9 

61.4 

57.5 

62.9 

1874        -                                     

70.7 

61.7 

53.9 

82.1 

1875 

55.7 

69.9 

5(17 

60.8 

1876 

70.1 

63.5 

53.3 

62.3 

1877  

72.7 

62.9 

54.7 

63.4 

1878  

69.0 

62.9 

55.5 

62.5 

1879                                

70.4 

61.5 

50.9 

60.9 

1880 

68.0 

62.1 

49.7 

59.9 

1881 

67.8 

56.8 

50.8 

58.5 

1882 

68.4 

58.4 

49.5 

58.8 

1883            .        ....   

71.6 

58.2 

50.5 

60.1 

1884                                            

64.8 

59.9 

55.3 

60.0 

1885 

69.8 

64.3 

54.4 

62.8 

Totals 

2268.3 

2062.2 

1759.5 

2029.9 

Averages  for  33  years    .  

68.7 

62.5 

53.3 

61.5 

13 


AVERAGE   ANNUAL   AND    SEASONAL   TEMPERATURES. 

The  statement  below  shows  the  average  temperature,  for  each  year,  for 
thirty-three  years;  for  the  Spring,  Summer,  and  Autumn,  for  thirty-three 
years,  and  the  average  Winter  temperature  for  thirty-two  years.  The  coldest 
year,  inferring  from  the  average  temperature,  was  that  of  1880 — 57.5°;  the 
warmest  was  1864 — 62.8°;  the  mean  average  for  the  past  thirty-three  years 
being  60.2°,  showing  the  coldest  to  have  been  2.7°  below  the  mean  average, 
while  the  warmest  year  being  that  of  1864,  when  it  was  2.6°  above  the 
mean  average  for  thirty-three  years.  By  careful  study  of  the  following 
table,  one  is  struck  by  the  slight  difference  between  the  coldest  and  warm- 
est year,  as  compared  with  a  thirty-three  years  average,  generally  not  more 
than  3°.  That  is,  we  might  safely  say  that  the  average  temperature  of  any 
year  is  not  likely  to  vary  more  than  3°  from  60°,  either  way,  between  the 
hottest  and  coldest  year,  as  compared  with  the  mean  average  temperature 
for  the  past  thirty-three  years: 


YEAR. 

Mean  Annual 
Temperature. 

Mean  Spring 
Temperature. 

Mean  Summer 
Temperature. 

Mean  Autumn 
Temperature. 

Mean  Winter 
Temperature. 

1853 

62.6 

62.9 

74.3 

690 

* 

1854 

59.5 

58.3 

724 

600 

473 

1855  

59.5 

57.7 

'      72.2 

60.5 

48.0 

1856  

60.1 

59.9 

71.9 

60.4 

48.9 

1857                         .     . 

60.7 

61.7 

71.5 

60.9 

47.5 

1858 

59.5 

59.6 

703 

609 

482 

1859  T  

58.7 

57.2 

70.4 

61.1 

46.6 

1860  

59.0 

56.5 

70.8 

603 

46.5 

1861  . 

60.1 

59.8 

698 

604 

495 

1862 

622 

576 

725 

637 

483 

1863  

60.3 

61.4 

71.8 

61.5 

47.1 

1864  .... 

62.8 

62.2 

73.5 

626 

498 

1865 

61.0 

610 

731 

629 

489 

1866 

621 

597 

748 

63  7 

514 

1867 

599 

583 

71  9 

62  1 

487 

1868  

60.1 

59.8 

71.5 

614 

481 

1869  .... 

604 

58.9 

721 

623 

482 

1870  .     . 

596 

570 

712 

61  7 

487 

1871 

596 

589 

708 

599 

47  7 

1872 

604 

605 

716 

596 

502 

1873  

607 

616 

704 

629 

500 

1874  

598 

590 

713 

621 

476 

1875  . 

625 

633 

72  1 

608 

482 

1876 

617 

599 

74  6 

623 

490 

1877  

61.2 

612 

735 

634 

499 

1878 

61.3 

605 

729 

625 

499 

1879  .... 

603 

593 

729 

609 

492 

1880  . 

57  5 

550 

69  1 

599 

44  5 

1881 

592 

604 

685 

585 

51  0 

1882  

58.5 

576 

711 

588 

459 

1883  

58.8 

585 

724 

601 

454 

1884  ... 

588 

579 

698 

600 

459 

1885  . 

612 

61  8 

701 

628 

500 

1886  

494 

Totals.  

1987.6 

19649 

23657 

20299 

15955 

Averages 

+  602 

595 

71  7 

61  5 

1  48  3 

*  The  Winter  tables  are  for  the  Winters  from  1852-3  to  1885-6,  both  inclusive. 
f  Mean  for  thirty-three  years. 
I  Mean  for  thirty-three  years. 


14 


The  following  table  gives  the  average  annual  barometer,  thermometer, 
and  hygrometer,  the  maximum  and  minimum  temperature.  The  hygro- 
metrical  observations  is  the  amount  of  moisture  or  relative  humidity  con- 
tained in  the  atmosphere;  also  the  mean  average  for  eight  years: 


YEAR. 

Mean  Annual 
Barometer. 

Mean  Annual 
Relative 
Humidity. 

Mean  Annual 
Temperature. 

Max.  Yearly 
Temperature. 

Min.  Yearly 
Temperature. 

1878 

29.946 

62.2 

61.3 

100.5—  Aug. 

23.5—  Dec. 

1879  

29.998 

65.7 

60.3 

103.0—  Aug. 

25.0—  Dec. 

1880    

30.025 

i         64.6 

57.7 

98.0—  July. 

25.0—  Jan. 

1881                                      

30.026 

66.7 

59.2 

98.6—  July. 

31.9—  Dec. 

1882 

30.030 

66.0 

58.2 

99.8—  Aug. 

27.0—  Dec. 

1883 

30.034 

69.0 

58.8 

103.5—  July. 

22.0  fian; 

1884  

29.985 

70.7 

58.8 

100.0—  Aug. 

(  Feb. 
21.0—  Feb. 

1885           

29.982 

67.8 

61.2 

105.0—  Aug. 

34.2—  Jan. 

Totals 

240.026 

532.7 

475.5 

Highest, 

Lowest, 

•{  OK.  f)      -i  QQ,X 

01  o     1  004 

Averages  

30.003 

66.6 

59.5 

August. 

February. 

The  Winter  tables  following  this  statement  show  the  average  Winter 
pressure,  temperature,  and  relative  humidity,  the  highest  and  lowest  tem- 
perature for  the  Winter  seasons  of  1877-8  to  1884-5,  and  the  mean  average 
for  nine  years: 


WINTER  OF  — 

Mean  Winter 
Barometer. 

Mean  Winter 
Relative 
Humidity. 

Mean  Winter 
Temperature. 

Max.  Winter 
Temperature. 

Min.  Winter 
Temperature. 

1877-78 

30.004 

77.1 

49.9 

67.0-  Dec. 

27.0—  Jan. 

1878-79 

30.120 

68.3 

49.2 

73.5—  Feb. 

23.5—  Dec. 

1879-80      .- 

30.163 

77.2 

44.5 

64.0—  Feb. 

25.0  1  !  e^' 

1880-81 

30.116 

84.0 

51.0 

67.0—  Feb. 

35.0—  Jan. 

1881-82                           

30.169 

76.4 

45.9 

62.8—  Feb. 

29.0—  Dec. 

1882  83 

30.189 

77.9 

45.4 

71.7-Feb. 

22  Q(  Jan. 

1883-84 

30.120 

83.0 

45.9 

71.0—  Feb. 

21.0—  Feb. 

1884-85             

30.094 

77.7 

50.0 

70.0—  Feb. 

27.0—  Dec. 

1885-86                  -.-.  

30.104 

87.1 

49.4 

72.7—  Feb. 

27.5—  Jan. 

Totals                             

271.079 

708.7 

431.2 

Highest, 

Lowest, 

73  5  1879 

21  0  1884 

Averages 

30.120 

78.8 

47.9 

February. 

February. 

15 


The  average  Spring  pressure,  relative  humidity  and  temperature,  the 
maximum  and  minimum  Spring  temperature,  also  the  mean  average  for 
eight  years  past,  will  be  found  as  follows:  . 


SPRING  OF— 

Mean  Spring 
Barometer. 

Mean  Spring 
Relative 
Humidity. 

Mean  Spring 
Temperature. 

Max.  Spring 
Temperature. 

'Min.  Spring 
Temperature. 

1878        

29.933 

67.1 

60.5 

91.0—  May 

40  0  —  March. 

1879 

30.046 

68.4 

59.3 

91  0—  May 

38  o  —  March 

1880 

30  O'il 

66.2 

55.0 

86  0—  May 

29  0  —  March 

1881  

30.003 

.68.4 

60.4 

88.8—  May. 

37  0  —  March. 

1882  

30.037 

61.9 

57.6 

94.6—  May 

34  1—  March 

1883                              .     . 

30.009 

68.9 

58.5 

98.0—  May 

39  8—  April 

1884 

29918 

733 

579 

85  0    May 

390    Mirch 

1885 

29970 

649 

61  8 

98  0  —  May 

39  0    April 

Totals  

240.033 

539.1 

4710 

Highest 

Lowest 

QQ  f)        -1  OQQ 

on  A  1  oon 

Averages 

30004 

674 

589 

and  1885 

March 

in  May. 

The  tabulated  statement  following  indicates  the  average  Summer  pres- 
sure, relative  humidity  and  temperature,  the  maximum  and  minimum 
Summer  temperature,  and  the  mean  average  for  eight  years: 


SUMMER  OF  — 

Mean  Summer 
Barometer. 

Mean  Summer 
Rel.  Humidity. 

Mean  Summer 
Temperature. 

Max.  Summer 
Temperature. 

Min.  Summer 
Temperature. 

1878 

29817 

547 

729 

100  5  Aug 

49  0    June 

1879 

29821 

527 

729 

103  0    Aug 

51  0     July 

1880  

29880  s 

593 

691 

98  0    Julv 

490     Aug' 

1881 

29903 

563 

685 

986  July 

48  0    June 

1882 

29898 

570 

71  1 

998    Aug 

51  °    June 

1883  

29  908 

584 

724 

103  5    July 

49  8    June 

1884  

29919 

633 

698 

1000-  Aug 

52  9  June 

1885  . 

29870 

558 

70  1 

1050    Aug 

Totals  

239.016 

4575 

5668 

Highest 

Lowest 

•JAKA        1  QOK 

48  ft      1  881 

Averages 

29877 

572 

708 

/• 

The  following  table  shows  the  average  Autumn  pressure,  relative  humid- 
ity and  temperature,  the  maximum  and  minimum  Fall  temperature,  and 
the  mean  averages  for  the  past  nine  years: 


FALL  OF  — 

Mean  Fall 
Barometer. 

Mean  Fall 
Rel.  Humidity. 

Mean  Fall 
Temperature. 

Max.  Fall 
Temperature. 

Min.  Fall    ' 
Temperature. 

1877 

29.973 
29.991 
30.000 
30.035 
30.026 
30.024 
30.011 
30.000 
29.927 

54.3 
54.4 

65.2 
54.9 
58.4 
69.6 
68.8 
69.1 
66.3 

63.4 

62.5 
60.9 
59.9 
58.5 
58.8 
60.1 
60.0 
62.8 

88.0-Sept. 
92.0—  Sept. 
98.0—  Sept. 
92.0—  Sept. 
93.0—  Sept. 
99.6—  Sept. 
101.0—  Sept. 
93.5—  Sept. 
98.5—  Sept. 

07  o     fijnv 

1878  

34  0—  Nov. 
33.0—  Nov. 
27.0—  Nov. 
32.0—  Nov. 
34.0—  Nov. 
29.0—  Nov. 
37.7—  Nov. 
38.5—  Nov. 

1879  

1880 

1881 

1882 

1883 

1884  , 

1885  .... 

Totals 

269.987 

561.0 

546.9 

Highest, 
101.0—1883. 
September. 

Lowest, 
27.0—1880. 
November. 

Averages 

29.999 

62.3 

60.8 

16 


The  following  table  will  be  found  to  contain  the  average  direction  of  the 
wind,  the  total  velocity,  the  rainfall,  and  the  clear,  fair,  and  cloudy  days; 
also,  days  rain  fell  during  the  Winter  months  from  1877-8  to  1885-6: 


WINTER  OF  — 

M'n  Winter 
Direction. 

Velocity 
for  Winter. 

Rainfall 
for  Winter. 

Clear  Days. 

Fair  Days. 

Cloudy 
Days. 

Davs  Rain 
Fell. 

1877-78 

S.E. 

13.452 

1874 

26 

28 

36 

39 

1878-79 

N. 

12650 

753 

44 

31 

15 

23 

1879-80  

S.E. 

13.735 

6.88 

39 

17 

35 

29 

1880-81  

S.E. 

16.092 

23.01 

14 

26 

50 

43 

1881-82     

N. 

14.611 

7.56 

46 

26 

18 

25 

1882-83 

S.E. 

11.131 

447 

52 

30 

8 

15 

1883-84 

S.E. 

12294 

833 

47 

25 

19 

25 

1884-85 

N.W. 

16406 

1310 

40 

28 

23 

25 

1885-86  

N.W. 

13.889 

14.00 

42 

29 

19 

28 

Totals 

124.260 

103.62 

350 

240 

223 

252 

Averages 

SE 

13807 

11  51 

389 

267 

248 

280 

The  average  direction  of  the  wind,  total  velocity,  the  rainfall,  and  num- 
ber of  clear,  fair,  and  cloudy  days,  also  number  of  days  rain  fell  during 
the  Spring  season,  from  1878  to  1885,  will  be  found  in  the  following  tabu- 
lated statement: 


SPRING  OF— 

Mean  Spr'g 
Direction. 

Velocity  for 
Spring. 

Rainfall  for 
Spring. 

Clear  Days. 

Fair  Days. 

Cloudy 
Days. 

Days  Rain 
Fell. 

1878  . 

s. 

13.962 

4.33 

45 

28 

19 

21 

1879 

S.E. 

14.530 

8.84 

39 

34 

19 

31 

1880 

S.E. 

19653 

1666 

49 

24 

19 

25 

1881  

S. 

14.966 

3.01 

60 

22 

10 

12 

1882  

N. 

17.774 

6.12 

57 

19 

16 

19 

1883  -. 

S. 

15.825 

7.22 

54 

26 

12 

21 

1884 

s.w. 

18.168 

12.52 

46 

23 

23 

25 

1885 

s.w. 

16.670 

.76 

58 

28 

6 

10 

Totals 

131  548 

5946 

408 

204 

124 

164 

Averages  - 

s. 

16.444 

7.432 

51.0 

25.5 

15.5 

20.5 

The  statistics  following  will  be  found  to  contain  the  mean  direction  of 
the  wind,  total  velocity,  the  rainfall,  the  number  of  clear,  fair,  and  cloudy 
days;  also  the  number  of  days  rain  fell  for  the  Summer  season,  from  1878 
to  1885: 


SUMMER  OF  — 

Mean  Sum- 
mer Direc- 
tion. 

Velocity  for 
Summer. 

Rainfall  for 
Summer. 

Clear  Days. 

Fair  Days. 

Cloudy 
Days. 

Days  Rain 
Fell. 

1878 

S 

13303 

83 

9 

1879 

s 

13645 

13 

81 

11 

3 

1880 

s 

16066 

85 

7 

2 

1881  

s. 

16  531 

50 

86 

5 

1 

3 

1882.     ... 

s. 

15449 

10 

87 

4 

1 

3 

1883 

s 

15609 

89 

3 

1884 

s. 

16518 

145 

77 

9 

6 

7 

1885 

s. 

18474 

11 

81 

10 

1 

3 

Totals  

125.595 

2.29 

669 

58 

9 

21 

A  vprpws 

s 

15flQQ 

0311 

83  fi 

7.3 

1.1 

2.6 

17 


The  mean  direction  of  the  wind,  the  total  velocity,  the  rainfall,  and 
number  of  clear,  fair,  and  cloudy  days;  also  the  number  of  days  rain  fell, 
for  the  Fall  season  from  1877  to  1885,  will  be  found  recorded  in  the  follow- 
ing table: 


FALL  OF  — 

Mean  Fall 
Direction. 

Velocity  for 
Fall. 

Eainfall  for 
Fall. 

Clear  Days. 

Fair  Days. 

Cloudy 
Days. 

Days  Rain 

Fell. 

1877 

s. 

10.669 

1.80 

76 

6 

9 

12 

1878            

N. 

11.269 

1.35 

71 

16 

4 

7 

1879               

S. 

10.492 

2.93 

59 

20 

12 

12 

1880 

N. 

11.518 

.05 

71 

14 

6 

2 

1881  

N. 

12.993 

2.73 

73 

15 

3 

11 

1882  

N.W. 

12.213 

6.42 

61 

22 

8 

15 

1883          

S. 

10.771 

2.48 

67 

18 

6 

11 

1884 

N.  &  S.E. 

10.659 

2.61 

75 

13 

3 

7 

1885 

S.E. 

14.214 

11.44 

51 

23 

17 

20 

Totals 

104.798 

31.81 

604 

147 

68  ' 

97 

Averages  

N. 

11.644 

3.534 

67.1 

16.3 

7.6 

10.8 

The  tabulated  statement  below  shows  the  number  of  times  the  wind  was 
observed  blowing  from  the  different  points  of  the  compass  for  the  Winter 
seasons  from  1877-8  to  1885-6 — three  observations  daily: 


WINTER  OF  — 

N. 

N.B. 

E. 

S.E. 

S. 

S.W. 

W. 

N.W. 

Calm. 

1877-78  

66 

7 

15 

69 

54 

19 

3 

11 

26 

1878-79  

102 

4 

5 

41 

41 

18 

4 

11 

44 

1879-80 

41 

13 

19 

77 

30 

17 

6 

47 

23 

1880-81 

50 

5 

7 

107 

57 

15 

2 

19 

8 

1881T82.  

86 

9 

8 

75 

35 

18 

7 

12 

20 

1882-83  

54 

8 

16 

66 

33 

14 

a 

60 

9 

1883-84 

63 

11 

15 

75 

37 

8 

8 

40 

15 

1884-85 

42 

6 

8 

68 

40 

21 

9 

72 

3 

1885-86 

7 

10 

4 

82 

36 

23 

3 

88 

17 

Totals  . 

511 

73 

97 

660 

363 

153 

51 

360 

165 

Averages  

56.8 

8.1 

10.8 

73.3 

40.3 

17.0 

5.7 

40.0 

18.3 

The  following  table  shows  the  number  of  times  the  wind  was  observed 
blowing  from  the  different  points  of  the  compass;  also  the  number  of  calms 
observed  during  the  Spring  season,  from  1878  to  1885,  and  is  as  follows 
from  three  daily  observations: 


SPRING  OF  — 

N. 

N.E. 

E. 

S.E. 

« 

S.W. 

W. 

N.W. 

Calm. 

1878 

30 

2 

3 

48 

89 

54 

11 

23 

16 

1879  

34 

3 

1 

29 

82 

75 

13 

16 

23 

1880  

31 

4 

6 

61 

59 

60 

6 

45 

4 

1881  . 

50 

4 

4 

42 

71 

71 

10 

14 

10 

1882 

71 

0 

1 

52 

56 

55 

7 

21 

13 

1883 

13 

3 

8 

57 

91 

50 

9 

42 

3 

1884 

29 

•9 

7 

51 

70 

75 

11 

27 

3 

1885  

26 

3 

3 

35 

66 

'88 

8 

40 

6 

Totals  ... 

284 

21 

33 

375 

584 

528 

75 

228 

78 

Averages  

35.5 

2.6 

4.1 

46.9 

73.0 

66.0 

9.4 

28.5 

9.8 

18 


The  wind's  direction  for  the  Summer  months  from  1878  to  1885  will  be 
found  to  be  as  follows  from  three  daily  observations: 


SUMMER  OF— 

N. 

N.E. 

E. 

S.E. 

S. 

•  s.w. 

w. 

N.W. 

Calm. 

1878  . 

13 

1 

0 

25 

161 

47 

6 

15 

8 

1879 

24 

1 

0 

5 

111 

79 

8 

37 

11 

1880 

14 

o 

1 

46 

109 

64 

10 

30 

2 

1881 

21 

1 

0 

58 

115 

55 

6 

16 

4 

1882 

3 

1 

2 

56 

135 

41 

9 

23 

Q 

1883  

6 

0 

0 

54 

127 

50 

9 

29 

1 

1884  

2 

0 

3 

52 

107 

76 

8 

24 

4 

1885  .  , 

5 

2 

0 

66 

115 

57 

6 

23 

2 

Totals 

88 

6 

6 

362 

980 

469 

62 

197 

38 

Averages  

11.0 

0.8 

0.8 

45.2 

122.5 

58.6 

7.8 

24.6 

4.8 

The  table  following  shows  the  direction  of  wind  during  the  Fall  months, 
from  1878  to  1885,  both  years  included,  three  observations  daily: 


FALL  OF  — 

N. 

N.E. 

E. 

S.E. 

S. 

S.W. 

W. 

N.W. 

Calm. 

1877 

59 

10 

5 

19 

78 

29 

9 

31 

33 

1878 

75 

5 

3 

12 

64 

36 

15 

37 

26 

1879  

45 

9 

9 

41 

66 

42 

4 

28 

29 

1880  

75 

7 

7 

40 

55 

37 

12 

30 

10 

1881  - 

81 

10 

2 

46 

46 

35 

8 

28 

17 

1882 

19 

8 

5 

60 

54 

27 

20 

08 

14 

1883 

30 

4 

10 

62 

66 

29 

6 

53 

13 

1884  

49 

7 

3 

49 

47 

48 

12 

38 

20 

1885  .-.-  

8 

8 

3 

75 

58 

46 

7 

65 

3 

Totals 

4*41 

68 

47 

404 

534 

329 

93 

376 

165 

Averages  

49.0 

7.6 

5.2 

44.9 

59.4 

36.6 

10.3 

41.8 

18.3- 

The  following  data  shows  the  number  of  times  the  wind  was  observed 
blowing  from  the  different  points  of  the  compass,  and  also  the  number  of 
calms  occurring  at  the  time  of  observations.  The  calculations  are  made 
from  three  daily  observations,  making  1,095  observations  during  each  year, 
and  1,098  for  1880  and  1884,  and  is  as  follows: 


YEAR  OF— 

N. 

N.E. 

E. 

S.E. 

S. 

S.W. 

W. 

N.W. 

Calm. 

1878... 

194 

11 

12 

151 

364 

155 

36 

84 

88 

1879  

165 

18 

14 

140 

306 

220 

29 

104 

99 

1880  :.. 

162 

24 

33 

239 

259 

172 

34 

147 

28 

1881  ... 

217 

24 

12 

232 

280 

176 

30 

72 

52 

1882  ..  . 

167 

14 

21 

251 

276 

145 

43 

140 

38 

1883  -. 

102 

17 

37 

243 

322 

138 

31 

173 

32 

1884 

149 

18 

22 

220 

267 

213 

38 

132 

39 

1885 

66 

24 

12 

254 

269 

210 

29 

214 

17 

Totals 

1222 

150 

163 

1730 

2343 

1429 

270 

1,066 

393 

Averages  

152.8 

18.9 

20.4 

216.2 

292.9 

178.6 

33.8 

133.2 

49.1 

19 


The  following  table  shows  the  total  number  of  clear,  fair,  and  cloudy 
days;  also,  the  number  of  days  in  which  rain  fell  for  each  year,  from  1878 
to  1885: 


YEAR  OF  — 

Clear  Days. 

Fair  Days. 

Cloudy  Days. 

Days  on  which 
Kain  Fell. 

1878 

225 

81 

59 

67 

1879          .   

223 

96 

46 

69 

1880                                              

244 

62 

60 

58 

1881 

233 

68 

64 

69 

1882 

251 

71 

43 

62 

1883 

262 

77 

26 

46 

1884                                   .   .  -    

239 

69 

58 

69 

1885                                              --- 

228 

88 

49 

57 

Totals 

1,905 

612 

405 

497 

Averages  

238.1 

76.5 

50.6 

62.1 

WEATHER  STATISTICS. 

SHOWING    THE    MONTHLY    RAINFALL,  ETC.,  AT  SACRAMENTO,   FOR  1885, 
AND  JANUARY,  FEBRUARY,  AND  MARCH,  1866. 


January,  1885 — Mean  temperature,  normal;  rainfall,  2.16  inches,  which 
is  1.61  inches  less  than  the  average  precipitation  for  35  years;  frost  was 
deposited  on  six  days;  highest  water  in  the  river,  23.5  feet;  lowest,  17  feet; 
earthquake  shock  on  the  thirtieth. 

February — Mean  temperature,  4°  higher  than  the  average  for  33  years; 
rainfall,  .49  of  an  inch,  being  2.44  inches  below  the  average  for  many  years; 
killing  frost  twice,  and  light  frost  four  times;  highest  river,  18  feet;  lowest, 
16.1  feet. 

March — The  mean  temperature  was  about  4°  warmer  than  the  average 
for  33  years.  This  was  the  driest  month  of  March  known  here  since  1849. 
The  rainfall  was  but  .08  of  an  inch,  while  the  average  of  many  years  was  3 
inches;  highest  river,  16  feet;  lowest,  13.9  feet;  partial  eclipse  of  the  sun 
on  the  sixteenth. 

April — The  mean  temperature  was  1.4°  above  the  average  for  many  years; 
rainfall,  .68  of  an  inch,  which  was  1.23  inches  less  than  the  average  for  35 
years;  two  earthquake  shocks — one  on  the  third  and  one  on  the  eleventh; 
frost  on  four  occasions:  highest  river,  15.2  feet;  lowest,  13.5  feet;  last  frost 
of  Spring,  April  twentieth. 

May — The  mean  temperature  was  1.5°  above  the  average  for  33  years; 
rainfall,  only  a  sprinkle,  which  was  .74  of  an  inch  below  the  average  pre- 
cipitation for  many  years;  highest  river,  13.9  feet;  lowest,  11  feet. 

June — The  mean  temperature  was  4.2°  below  the  average  for  many  years; 
rainfall,  very  near  the  average,  the  latter  being  .13  of  an  inch,  while  the 
rainfall  for  this  month  was  .11  of  an  inch;  solar  halo  on  the  twenty-fourth; 
highest  river,  11  feet;  lowest,  9  feet. 

July — This  was  the  windiest  month  on  record,  giving  from  816  to  2,149 
miles  more  wind  than  is  usual  for  this  month;  mean  temperature,  2.2° 
below  the  average  of  33  years;  average  rainfall  for  many  years,  .03  of  an 


20 

inch;  this  month  gave  only  a  sprinkle;  two  solar  halos,  and  two  parhelias, 
or  sun  dogs,  on  the  ninth;  highest  river,  9  feet;  lowest,  7.8  feet. 

August — Tire  mean  temperature  was  1.4°  above  the  average  for  33 years; 
the  highest  temperature  recorded  occurred  this  month,  and  was  105°;  rain- 
fall, none,  the  average  of  many  years  being  a  sprinkle;  highest  river,  7.8 
feet;  lowest,  7.3  feet. 

September — The  mean  temperature  was  1.2°  warmer  than  the  average 
for  33  years;  the  average  rainfall  for  many  years  is  .11  of  an  inch;  this 
month  gave  .08  of  an  inch,  or  a  very  small  amount  below  the  mean;  light- 
ning on  the  fifth  and  sixth;  highest  river,  7.10  feet;  lowest,  7.3  feet;  solar 
halo  on  the  eighth. 

October — The  mean  temperature  was  1.9°  warmer  than  the  average  for 

33  years;  the  average  rainfall  for  many  years  was  .72  of  an  inch,  while 
this  month  only  gave  .02  of  an  inch,  which  is  .70  of  an  inch  below  the 
average  for  many  years;  sheet  and  forked  lightning  on  the  sixth;  solar 
halo  on  the  twelfth;  coronae  around  the  moon  on  the  twenty-third;  highest 
river,  7.7  feet;  lowest,  7.5  feet. 

November — The  mean  temperature  was  1.1°  greater  than  the  average 
for  33  years  past;  there  was  2,705  miles  more  wind  than  usually  sweeps 
over  this  station  during  November;  this  month  was  warmer,  and  gave  more 
wind  and  a  higher  velocity,  more  rain,  and  more  cloudy  and  rainy  days 
than  are  usual  for  the  third  month  of  the  rainy  season.  There  were  9.44 
inches  more  rain  than  the  average  for  36  years;  rainfall  for  the  month, 
11.34  inches — the  average  for  many  years  being  only  1.90  inches;  there 
were  three  frosts;  highest  river,  21.2  feet;  lowest,  7.5  feet;  first  frost  of 
Autumn,  November  twelfth. 

December — The  mean  temperature  was  2.1°  warmer  than  the  average 
of  33  years;  the  rainfall  was  5.76  inches,  which  is  1.11  inches  more  than 
the  average  precipitation  of  36  years.  There  was  a  lunar  halo  on  the 
twenty-fourth,  and  five  light  frosts;  highest  river,  23.9;  lowest,  17.2  feet. 

We  find  by  the  above  annual  review  that  the  mean  temperature  for  each 
month  was  above  the  average  of  many  years,  except  June  and  July;  these 
months  were  below  the  average. 

The  mean  temperature  for  the  year  1885,  is  61.2°,  while  the  average  for 

34  years  is  60.2°,  showing  the  year  1885  to  have  been  a  warmer  one  than 
usual.     The  rainfall  from  January  to  June  was  the  least  ever  known  to 
have  been  precipitated,  and  the  rainfall  from  September  to  December  third 
was  the  most  ever  precipitated,  except  in  1852,  when  19.41  inches  was 
measured  against  17.21  inches  for  1885. 

January,  1886 — The  mean  temperature  for  January  was  1.3°  below  the 
average  of  many  years;  the  rainfall  was  7.95  inches,  which  is  4.18  inches 
in  excess  of  the  average  precipitation  during  the  last  30  years.  There 
was  killing  frosts  on  nine  days;  and  lightning  in  the  northeast  on  the 
twentieth,  after  the  heaviest  wind  storm  that  has  ever  visited  Sacramento. 
Lightning,  too,  in  January,  is  an  unheard  of  thing  for  this  vicinity. 

The  maximum  velocity  of  wind  was  over  forty -four  miles  per  hour  on  the 
twentieth,  and  on  one  occasion  during  the  day  five  miles  was  made  in  five 
minutes,  which  is  at  the  rate  of  sixty  miles  per  hour. 

The  highest  river  was  25.6  feet  on  the  twenty-eighth;  the  lowest  river 
was  17.1  feet  on  the  eighteenth.  This  was  the  highest  water  in  the  river 
since  February  4,  1881,  when  it  reached  26.6  feet.  First  killing  frost  of 
this  season  was  on  January  second. 

February,  1886 — The  mean  temperature  for  February  was  53.3°,  which 
was  2.3°  warmer  than  the  average  of  many  years.  Average  rainfall,  2.866 


21 

inches,  showing  February  to  have  been  2.576  inches  below  the  average  of 
many  years.  A  brilliant  meteor  passed  to  the  west  in  the  north  on  the 
thirteenth;  a  hailstorm  on  the  twenty-eighth.  Highest  water  in  the  river, 
25  feet,  on  the  first;  and  the  lowest,  14.8  feet,  on  the  twenty-eighth.  Peach 
trees  and  other  fruits  in  bloom  as  early  as  the  fifteenth. 

March,  1886 — Mean  temperature,  52.1°,  which  is  3°  cooler  than  the 
average  mean  temperature  for  33  years.  The  rainfall  was  2.68  inches, 
being  a  trifle  less  than  the  average  of  many  years.  Heavy  hailstorm, 
with  thunder  and  lightning,  on  the  fourth;  lunar  halos  on  the  sixteenth 
and  twenty-first;  light  frosts  on  the  nineteenth  and  twentieth.  Highest 
river,  19.5  feet,  on  the  sixth  and  seventh;  lowest  river,  17.5  feet,  on  the 
thirty-first. 

WIND. 

Gales  of  twenty-five  miles  per  hour  and  over,  for  each  month  during 
1885,  and  for  January,  February,  and  March,  1886,  will  be  found  as  follows: 

January,  1885 None- 

February  12,  1885 N.W.  25  miles- 

February  23,  1885 N.W.  31  miles- 

March,  1885 None- 

April,  1885 None- 

May  12,  1885 S.  25  miles- 

May  22,  1885 N.W.  30  miles- 

June,  1885 : None- 

July  2,  1885 S.  25  miles- 

August,  1885 None- 

September,  1885. None- 

October,  1885 .-...None- 

November  16,  1885 S.E.  27  miles- 

November  17,  1885 S.E.  36  miles- 

November  22,  1885 S.E.  32  miles- 

November  24,  1885 S.E.  32  miles. 

December  7,  1885 N.W.  25  miles. 

January  1,  1886 _ ...N.W.  38  miles- 

January  20,  1886 .' S.E.  44  miles. 

January  21,  1886 , S.  28  miles- 

January  22,  1886 S.E.  28  miles. 

January  23,  1886 S.E.  30  miles. 

Februarv  15, 1886 N.W.  32  miles. 

February  26,  1886 S.W.  26  miles. 

March  10,1886 ..N.W.  28  miles. 

March  11,1886 N.W.  26  miles. 

March  14,1886 N.W.  37  miles. 

March  24,1886 ..N.W.  30  miles. 

March  25, 1886 N.W.  27  miles. 

March  27,  1886 ..N.W.  30  miles. 


OAKLAND  WEATHER-FOR  THE  YEAR  1885,  AND  GENERAL 
COMPARISON  OF  WEATHER  FROM  1876  TO  1885. 


BY  J.  B.  TREMBLEY,  M.D. 


Observations  taken  at  7  A.  M.,  2  p.  M.,  and  9  p.  M.,  of  each  day.  Lati- 
tude, 37  degrees  48  minutes  20  seconds  north;  longitude,  122  degrees  15 
minutes  20  seconds  west  of  Greenwich;  height  of  barometer  above  the 
sea,  24  feet. 


22 


BAROMETRICAL  PRESSURE. 

Table  showing  the  Mean,  Highest,  and  Lowest  Monthly  Barometer,  also   the  Monthly  Range. 
Barometer  not  corrected  for  Elevation  or  Temperature. 


1885. 

Mean 
Monthly 
Barometer. 

Highest 
Observed 
Barometer 
for  the 
Month. 

Lowest 
Observed 
Barometer 
for  the 
Month. 

Eange 
for  the 
Month. 

January  .  

30.08 

30.32 

2980 

52 

February    .  -. 

30.07 

30.37 

2985 

52 

March  .              -  

30.03 

3025 

^9  80 

45 

April 

2993 

3015 

2996 

59 

May 

2990 

3005 

2978 

27 

June 

2996 

30  11 

29'  78 

33 

July  

29.95 

30.10 

2985 

25 

August    

29.85 

2997 

2972 

25 

September         ... 

2982 

2998 

2977 

21 

October 

2993 

3008 

2972 

26 

November 

2991 

3020 

9939 

81 

December  

30.07 

30.26 

2962 

64 

Means  -  ..  ^  ..         

29.96 

3015 

2975 

42 

BAROMETRICAL  RECAPITULATION. 


Mean  barometer  for  the  year. 20.96 

Maximum  barometer  for  the  year,  February  3,  9  A.  M 30.37 

Minimum  barometer  for  the  year,  March  17,  7  P.  M 29.39 

Highest  monthly  range  for  the  year .81 

Lowest  monthly  range  for  the  year  ..- .21 

Yearly  range 1 .98 


TEMPERATURE. 

Table  showing  the  Mean  Temperature  of  the  Months,  Warmest  and  Coldest  Days;  also  the  Maxi- 
mum and  Minimum  Temperatures,  the  Greatest  and  Least  Daily  Variations,  Monthly  and 
Mean  Daily  Range. 


1885. 

prf 

§SB 

^0H 

l~l>  (3 

i! 

K 
S££ 

«.: 
fl 

IP 
If 

|| 

Maximum  Tem- 
perature _  . 

Minimum  Tem- 
perature   

Greatest  Daily  Va- 

Least  Daily  Varia- 
tion   

Monthly  Eange  of 
Temperature  

Mean  Daily  Eange 
of  Temperature. 

January 

49.72 

56.33 

46.00 

60 

37 

20 

2 

23 

9.13 

February  

54.10 

58.33 

51.00 

70 

41 

25 

2 

29 

11.86 

March  

56.93 

64.33 

52.66 

76 

43 

28 

3 

33 

12.61 

April  

58.14 

65.33 

50.66 

78 

42 

29 

6 

36 

12.16 

May  

58.97 

65.33 

56.33 

80 

49 

27 

7 

31 

11.61 

June  

59.70 

62.66 

55.66 

71 

52 

15 

4 

19 

9.76 

July  . 

63.05 

68.66 

60.66 

84 

57 

26 

5 

27 

12.06 

August 

6096 

70.00 

57.33 

85 

53 

28 

4 

32 

11.29 

September 

6188 

6866 

57.33 

89 

51 

36 

5 

38 

15.50 

October 

5987 

6400 

57.33 

75 

47 

28 

6 

28 

12.54 

November  

56.83 

66.33 

50.00 

72 

43 

26 

1 

29 

9.16 

December  

52.42 

61.33 

46.33 

66 

41 

17 

0 

25 

10.68 

Means  

57.71 

64.27 

53.44 

75.5 

46.33 

25.41 

3.75 

29.16 

11.44 

RECAPITULATION   OF   TEMPERATURE. 


Mean  temperature  of  the  year 57.71 

Mean  temperature  of  the  warmest  day,  August  2 70.00 

Mean  temperature  of  the  coldest  day,  January  3 46.00 

Maximum  temperature  for  the  year,  September  21,  2  p.  M -  -  89.00 

Minimum  temperature  for  the  year,  January  29,  7  A.  M. 37.00 


23 


Greatest  daily  variation,  September  21 --  36.00 

Least  daily  variation,  December  21 

Greatest  monthly  range,  September . 

Least  monthly  range,  June -  19.00 

Average  daily  range  for  the  year. 11.44 

Average  monthly  range  for  the  year . 29.16 

Yearly  range  of  temperature.-- --  52.00 

SEASONS. 

Mean  temperature  of  Winter... --  51.69 

Mean  temperature  of  Spring . 

Mean  temperature  of  Summer 

Mean  temperature  of  Autumn 59.52 

Difference  between  the  coldest  and  warmest  of  Spring  months 2.04 

Difference  between  the  coldest  and  warmest  of  Summer  months 3.35 

Difference  between  the  coldest  and  warmest  of  Autumn  months 5.05 

Difference  between  the  coldest  and  warmest  of  Winter  months. 4.38 

Difference  between  the  coldest  and  warmest  months  of  the  year 13.33 

RELATIVE  HUMIDITY. 

Table  showing  the  Relative  Humidity,  Precipitation,  Weather,  and  Direction  from  which  the  Wind 
Blew,  from  January  1, 1885,  to  December  31, 1885,  inclusive. 


1885. 

32 

S3 

£W 

Rainfall 

i! 

3 

£1 

«  rtf 

if 
|f 

Number  of 
Morning 

tl 

<  0 

* 

!! 

6  o 

Wind—  1,095  Observations. 

02 
3 

* 

$ 

taj 

N 

™ 
M 

1 

CO 

g 

sT 

s 

p* 
B 

4 
0 

w 

0 

5' 

| 
i 

**. 

j?Q 

rl 

2, 
o 

O* 

d 

<^ 

$£ 

8 

m 

r*  *•* 

I  D 

•    g 
|    o 

1  3 

ft. 
$ 

3 

Eh 
^ 

& 
f 

January 

86.68 
86.50 
85.46 
85.80 
84.20 
86.45 
84.80 
87.20 
84.55 
88.10 
90.75. 
93.50 

1.92 

.48 
1.07 
3.12 
.10 
.08 
.02 
.00 
.05 
.30 
11.11 
4.33 

17 
21 
21 
20 
23 
20 
23 
19 
.  20 
21 
13 
20 

14 

7 
10 
10 
8 
10 
8 
12 
10 
10 
17 
11 

7 
3 
5 
9 
1 
6 
2 
0 
2 
2 

17 

8 

6 
4 
2 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
1 
4 
1 
2 

1 

2 
12 
5 
13 
16 
18 
24 
13 
12 
0 
2 

8 
4 
1 
1 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
3 
10 

9 
29 
39 
43 
50 
67 
49 
43 
34 
32 
20 
11 

9 
13 
12 
7 
9 
2 
9 
8 
11 
11 
7 
14 

16 
4 
3 
3 
2 
0 
1 
1 
2 
2 
10 
9 

11 

7 
5 
10 
8 
12 
12 
10 
13 
6 
30 
18 

48 
31 
34 
27 
24 
9 
22 
31 
30 
42 
23 
41 

February 

March  

April  -_ 

Mav 

June  . 

July    .-  

August 

September 

October  

November 

December 

Means  and  sums. 

86.74 

22.58 

238 

127 

62 

20 

118 

27 

426 

112 

53 

142 

362 

RECAPITULATION    OF    RELATIVE    HUMIDITY    FOR    THE   YEAR   EIGHTEEN   HUNDRED   AND   EIGHTY- 
FIVE. 

Mean  relative  humidity  for  the  year 86.74 

Highest  relative  humidity  during  the  year 100.00 

Lowest  relative  humidity  during  the  year,  February  12,  2  p.  M. 41.05 

Greatest  variation  of  humidity  in  24  hours,  September  29 43.08 

Least  variation  of  humidity  in  24  hours,  June  11 .08 

Rainfall  in  inches  during  the  calendar  year .. 22.58 

Rainfall  in  inches  during  the  agricultural  year,  1884-85 . 17.95 

Rainfall  in  inches  since  July  1,  3885  (Bay  Nursery) 15.81 

Number  of  clear  and  fair  days 238 

Number  of  cloudy  days 127 

Number  of  days  in  which  rain  fell 62 

Number  of  foggy  mornings 20 

Number  of  mornings  overcast 118 

Number  of  mornings  that  frost  was  seen L 27 

Wind,  direction  from  southwest  and  west 426 

Wind,  direction  from  northwest  and  north 112 

Wind,  direction  from  northeast  and  east... 53 

Wind,  direction  from  southeast  and  south 142 

Calms 332 


24 


MONTHLY  RAINFALL. 

As  taken  in  Oakland  by  Mr.  James  Hutchison,  of  the  Bay  Nursery,  for  the  Consecutive  Years 

Mentioned. 


1873. 

is 

74. 

18 

75. 

1876. 

1877. 

1878. 

1879. 

MONTHS. 

Quantity  ... 

•5" 

4 
4 

[ 

Quantity  — 

-  . 

! 

i 

^ 

! 

Quantity  _- 

! 

Quantity  — 

! 

July 

.10 

2 

.18 

2 

2 

9, 

August 

1 

3 

2 

September 

.15 

5 

.57 

3 

2 

October  

.60 

994 

30 

4.74 

10 

.45 

4 

1.85 

2 

.70 

5 

November  ... 
December 

.60 
1018 

9.18 
31 

7.83 
1  10 

.25 

2 

1.62 
175 

8 
8 

.65 
31 

3 

6 

2.98 
508 

9 
14 

January  
February  
March  

1874. 

5.60 
1.80 
5.25 

18 

75. 

6.15 
.30 
1  65 

18 

76. 

5.28 
1.87 
155 

1877. 

4.19 
1.42 
.96 

9 

5 

7 

1878. 

10.82 
11.63 
4.30 

16 
17 
16 

1879. 

3.84 
5.65 
7.96 

11 
9 
15 

1880. 

1.71 
2.19 
1.70 

7 
9 
9 

April  

1.25 

93 

.22 

5 

1.18 

6 

1.17 

1? 

8.46 

18 

May 

.75 

10 

45 

.33 

5 

.40 

2 

1.39 

7 

1.04 

5 

June 

1  64 

94 

5 

.16 

1 

Amount  

26.03 

2 

1.67 

2 

3.55 

12.36 

51 

32.33 

79 

23.55 

74 

23.84 

82 

•  1880. 

1881. 

1882. 

1883. 

1884. 

1885. 

MONTHS. 

Quantity  _- 

« 
f 

| 
£ 

> 

1 
t 

| 

Quantity  — 

| 

Quantity  — 

! 

Quantity  _. 

! 

Quantity  __ 

| 

July  

2 

02 

2 

August 

.25 

1 

.00 

0 

September 

40 

1 

.42 

2 

1.00 

9 

.35 

2 

.05 

7, 

October  

.05 

1 

8? 

7 

2.65 

9 

1.03 

7 

2.80 

4 

.30 

9, 

November  .  .  . 
December  ... 

January  
February  
March 

.35 

12.57 

1881. 

10.48 
3.95. 
88 

2 

18 

11 
14 

s 

1 

p 

18* 

^ 
S 

4 

.49 
>.09 

*2. 

!.42 
!.05 

•>o 

5 
10 

9 
10 
11 

4.33 
1.14 

1883. 

1.95 
.70 
333 

7 
9 

3 
5 

8 

.90 
1.15 

1884. 

3.81 
5.25 

859 

3 
6 

9 
10 
11 

.05 
7.33 

1885. 

1.92 
.48 
107 

3 
13 

7 
3 
5 

11.11 
4.33 

1886. 

6.77 
.30 

17 

8 

April 

1  40 

8 

1 

51 

8 

220 

s 

579 

10 

312 

q 

May 

50 

fi 

15 

s 

350 

H 

55 

5 

10 

1 

June 

1  16 

2 

2 

303 

10 

08 

6 

Amount.  .. 

31.24 

65 

1£ 

$.13 

66 

20.22 

64 

31.10 

78 

17.95 

54 

*  22.88 

---- 

Season  of  1885-86,  up  to  March  1,  1886.    *  Mean,  twelve  years,  23.89  inches. 

The  rainfall  in  California  is  rather  phenomenal,  and  depending  greatly 
upon  latitude  and  topography.  The  average  difference  of  annual  rainfall 
in  the  State,  extending  from  northwest  to  southeast,  is  a  little  over  two 
inches  for  every  degree,  being  thirty-four  inches  at  Crescent  City,  and  ten 
inches  at  San  Diego.  It  is  said  to  increase  about  one  inch  for  every  hun- 
dred feet  in  elevation  in  ascending  the  Sierra  Nevada. 

MONTHLY  METEOROLOGICAL  SYNOPSIS  FOR  THE  YEAR  1885. 

January — The  weather  was  not  unusual  for  the  month — rain  and  light 
showers  were  quite  prevalent  during  the  first  half,  and  hazy,  frosty  morn- 
ings the  last  half.  The  morning  of  the  twenty-sixth  was  very  hazy,  and  a 


25 

white,  hard  frost  covered  almost  everything  that  was  exposed  out  of  doors. 
At  1:30  A.  M.  two  shocks  of  an  earthquake  were  felt;  the  last  seemed  to  be 
rather  a  continuation  of  the  first.  A  loud,  rumbling  noise  or  sound  attended 
the  peculiar  shaking  or  quaking  motion,  which  apparently  came  from  the 
northeast,  passing  towards  the  southwest.  The  first  shock  was  quite  severe, 
the  rumbling  sound,  loud  and  sharp,  gradually  growing  weaker,  but  rising 
again  in  intensity  as  the  second  shock  was  felt,  then  stopping  short,  and 
nothing  more  was  heard  of  the  earthquake's  rumbling  noise;  windows  set- 
tled in  their  frames,  and  all  pendent  objects  swayed  to  and  fro  for  a  few 
moments.  Another  shock  occurred  at  8:56  p.  M.  The  first  sensation  was 
an  impulsive  movement,  a  jog,  ending  with  a  tremor  or  trembling;  a  dis- 
tant rumbling  sound  was  heard  during  the  vibration,  which  appeared  to 
pass  from  northeast  to  southwest.  Lunar  halo,  9  p.  M.;  barometer,  30:10; 
thermometer,  50  degrees;  balance  of  month  weather  hazy,  with  slight  rains 
for  several  days. 

February — No  unusual  phenomena  occurred  during  the  month — some 
light  showers  and  sprinkles  of  rain;  frosty  mornings;  lunar  and  solar  halos, 
with  a  few  beautiful  luminous  sun-risings  and  sun-settings. 

March  had  her  full  amount  of  bluster,  by  raising  a  great  dust  quite  a 
number  of  times,  with  high  winds  -and  light  showers  during  the  latter  part 
of  the  month.  The  fifth  was  very  clear  and  pleasant  in  the  morning;  at 
2:30  P.  M.  a  gale  of  wind  came  up  from  the  northeast,  which  filled  the  air 
with  clouds  of  dust;  the  thermometer  ran  up  to  summer  heat,  which,  with 
the  dryness  of  the  atmosphere,  caused  the  most  succulent  plants  to  wilt  for 
several  hours;  evening  very  clear  and  pleasant.  An  eclipse  of  the  sun, 
which  it  was  said  to  have  been  annular,  occurred  on  the  16th;  no  oppor- 
tunity was  given  to  see  it  on  account  of  a  thick,  dark  overcast  that  remained 
all  day;  during  the  time  of  the  greatest  obscuration  of  the  sun  the  dark- 
ness of  night  was  very  perceptible  for  a  time;  a  chill  was  felt  in  the  air; 
the  thermometer  fell  4  degrees  in  temperature  and  gradually  rose  again 
when  the  eclipse  passed  off.  The  forecasting  of  the  weather  in  the  public 
mind — that  eclipses  are  followed  by  storms  within  forty-eight  hours — in 
this  case  was  verified,  for  a  fine  shower  of  rain  fell  on  the  18th,  which 
broke  the  long  continued  drought  for  four  or  five  weeks. 

April  was  what  might  be  called  a  rainy  month;  warm  showers  at  fre- 
quent intervals  seemed  to  be  the  prevalent  characteristic  of  the  precipitation. 
On  the  evening  of  the  8th,  at  7:45  o'clock,  there  occurred  one  of  the  most 
severe  showers  or  storms  that  has  been  observed  in  Oakland  for  ten  years 
past.  The  rain  fell  in  torrents,  filling  the  streets  and  gutters  with  water; 
vivid  flashes  of  lightning  illuminated  the  dark  horizon  every  few  minutes, 
and  loud  peals  of  thunder  crashed  here  and  there,  then  rolled  away  in  the 
distance  with  muttering  sounds.  For  one  and  a  half  hours  this  terrific 
storm,  swayed  by  different  currents  of  wind,  hung  over  Oakland  with  all 
its  fury,  then  passing  away  and  leaving  behind  on  its  track  brilliant  flashes 
of  heat  lightning  that  lighted  up  the  huge  cumulous  clouds  that  carried 
away  the  relics  of  the  storm.  No  other  meteorological  phenomena  occurred 
during  the  month,  unless  it  was  a  shower  of  rain  and  hail  that  fell  at  5 
p.  M.  on  the  19th.  Fine  growing  weather,  with  plenty  of  moisture,  was  the 
marked  feature  in  this  vicinity. 

May,  June,  and  July  were  more  than  usually  marked  by  many  overcasts 
or  high  fogs,  lasting  late  in  the  morning  and  coming  up  early  in  the  after- 
noon. Very  dry  weather  supervened  on  the  April  rains,  which  in  many 
places  dried  up  and  destroyed  entire  fields  of  grain,  and  injuring  them 
more  or  less  in  every  locality  in  the  State. 


26 

August,  September,  and  October  were  counterparts  of  the  tbree  preceding 
months — overcasts,  drought,  and  disagreeable  weather  mornings  and  even- 
ings were  at  their  maximum  for  ten  years.  August,  no  rain.  September, 
one  half  an  inch  fell  the  day  following  an  eclipse  of  the  moon,  which 
occurred  on  the  23d,  at  10  o'clock  p.  M.,  invisible  on  account  of  clouds  and 
overcast.  Thermometer  marked  the  maximum  temperature  of  the  year 
on  the  21st,  at  2  o'clock  p.  M.,  89°.  During  October  the  precipitation  was 
only  .30  of  an  inch;  rather  unusual,  but  not  without  precedent. 

November — The  extremes  appertaining  to  the  weather  culminated  on  the 
beginning  of  this  month.  Solar  and  lunar  halos  preceded  the  rains,  which 
were  very  frequent,  and  gave  a  rainfall  unprecedented  in  amount  for 
November.  On  the  seventeenth  a  heavy  rainfall  prevailed,  which  poured 
in  torrents  for  a  few  hours  in  the  early  morning.  Large  portions  of  the  sur- 
face of  the  streets  and  vacant  grounds  were  covered  with  water.  Sewers 
and  gutters  were  overflowed;  barometer  fell  to  29.39,  lowest  observed  in 
Oakland  during  the  time  of  observation,  ten  years;  showery  during  the  day 
and  night,  until  about  four  o'clock  p.  M.  of  the  eighteenth,  when  a  peculiar 
phenomenon  occurred  by  the  various  air  currents  which  came  to  and  near 
the  surface  of  the  earth.  Dark,  heavy  clouds  overcast  nearly  the  whole 
horizon,  and  near  the  surface  of  the  earth,  bounding  the  visible  horizon  all 
round,  a  bank  of  black,  dark  clouds  gave  every  appearance  of  a  severe 
storm.  The  upper  currents  of  the  atmosphere  were  moving  in  several  direc- 
tions; but  at  the  surface,  and  coming  over  the  eastern  foothills,  a  high  wind 
blew  from  the  northeast,  passing  over  the  city  to  the  southwest  a  short  dis- 
tance, when  it  met  a  counter  current  which  turned  it  upward  in  its  course, 
where  it  arose  high  in  the  air,  dispelling  the  dark  clouds,  then  turning 
backward  upon  itself  towards  the  northeast,  and  descending  to  the  tops  of 
the  foothills,  covering  them  with  a  white,  fleecy  vapor,  in  striking  contrast 
with  the  dark  rain  clouds  in  the  background.  This  current  moved  in  a 
circle  of  a  short  distance  in  diameter  at  a  right  angle  to  the  surface  of  the 
earth,  like  some  great  wheel,  rising  high  enough  to  cut  into  and  through 
the  dark  storm-cloud  overhead,  dashing  and  breaking  up  all  clouds  it  came 
in  contact  with,  into  a  white  fog  or  foam.  There  were  three  atmospherical 
currents  prevailing  at  the  same  time — one  from  the  east,  one  from  the  south- 
southwest,  and  one  from  the  northwest.  Clouds  were  passing  in  each  of 
these  currents,  in  the  direction  to  which  they  were  moving,  but  it  was  very 
difficult  to  account  for  the  circular  and  vertical  current  that  was  seen,  and 
the  violent  phenomenon  it  produced  for  the  short  time  it  existed.  The 
great  atmospherical  currents,  when  they  came  in  contact  with  it,  disap- 
peared for  the  time  being  in  the  vortex  of  the  circular  current,  and  were 
lost  in  its  rapid  motion  on  its  axis.  The  month  was  phenomenal  in  its  great 
amount  of  rainfall — 11.11  inches. 

December — Nothing  unusual  occurred — light  frost,  rain  and  growing 
weather  for  vegetation.  On  the  thirtieth,  at  9:50  o'clock,  a  shock  of  an 
earthquake  was  felt,  lasting  several  seconds;  vibrations  from  east  to  west, 
half  gyratory,  then  lifting.  It  was  attended  with  a  deep  rumbling  sound. 
Pendent  objects  swayed  to  and  fro,  and  loose  windows  rattled  in  their 
casements.  A  heavy  mist  and  light  sprinkle  of  rain  prevailed  at  the  time; 
p.  M.,  clear,  cool,  and  very  pleasant. 


27 


TABLE 

Showing  the  Comparative  Annual  Meteorology  of  1876,  1877,  1878,  1879, 1880, 1881, 1882. 1883, 

1884,  and  1885. 


1876. 

1877. 

1878. 

1879. 

1880. 

1881. 

1882. 

1883. 

1884. 

1885. 

Mean  temperature  of  the  year  
Mean  temperature  of  warmest  day- 
Mean  temperature  of  coldest  day  _ 
Maximum    temperature  for   the 
year 

55.09 
74. 
36. 

97. 

56.29 
76. 
41.63 

96. 

55.28 
69.33 
37. 

84. 

55.11 
75.33 
33.66 

93. 

53.69 
70.66 
41. 

89. 

55.62 
70. 
42. 

87. 

54.49 
69.33 
35. 

84. 

54.66 
84.66 
32.33 

103. 

55.85 
72.66 
36. 

88. 

57.71 
70. 
46. 

89. 

Minimum    temperature    for    the 
year                                _  _ 

30. 

30. 

27. 

27. 

29. 

31. 

30. 

25. 

28. 

27. 

Greatest  daily  variation  of  tem- 
perature         _ 

33. 

38. 

33. 

46. 

36. 

35. 

31. 

38. 

30. 

36. 

Least  daily  variation  of  tempera- 
ture 

2. 

1 

2. 

1. 

1. 

1. 

1. 

1 

00 

Greatest  monthly  range  of  tem- 
perature 

49. 

47. 

46. 

46. 

48. 

40. 

42. 

50. 

45. 

38 

Least  monthly  range  of  tempera- 
ture              _                            _  _ 

19. 

25. 

23. 

30. 

28. 

21. 

19. 

29. 

19. 

19 

Average  daily  range  of  tempera- 
ture for  year  __        _  _ 

14.94 

14.61 

13.65 

12.96 

14.10 

13.40 

12.80 

12.81 

11.64 

11.44 

Average  monthly  range  of  tem- 
perature for  year     _  

34.92 

35.5 

32.5 

38. 

34.91 

32. 

31.16 

37.58 

30. 

29.16 

Yearly  range  of  temperature 

67. 

66. 

57. 

66. 

60. 

56. 

54. 

65. 

60. 

52 

Mean  relative  humidity  for  year- 
Highest  relative  humidity  for  year_ 
Lowest  relative  humidity  for  year_ 
Greatest  variation  humidity  in  24 
hours 

83. 
100. 
40. 

49.09 

83.11 
100. 
34.40 

5120 

84.71 
100. 
38.60 

45.06 

85.29 
100. 
39. 

58 

83.70 
100. 
27. 

5440 

83.25 
100. 
29. 

3740 

82.57 
100. 
28.7 

657 

83.71 
100. 
33.9 

488 

85.39 
100. 
38.1 

41 

86.74 
100. 
41.5 

43  8 

Least  variation   humidity  in   24 
boon 

.06 

.01 

.02 

.30 

20 

.30 

4 

3 

3 

g 

Rainfall  in  inches  during  the  year_ 
Rainfall  in  inches  in  agricultural 
years,  from  July  1,  1876,  to  July 
1,  1885                 

21.56 
28.53 

11.09 
12.33 

31.71 
32.32 

28.91 
23.55 

28.07 
23.84 

26.07 
31.24 

18.87 
18.03 

15.76 
20.22 

38.20 
31.10 

22.58 
17  95 

Number  clear  and  fair  days  dur- 
ing year 

268 

301 

255 

9(56 

258 

276 

276 

266 

260 

238 

Number  cloudy  days  during  year_ 
Number  days  in  which  rain  fell- 
Number  foggy  mornings  

98 
63 
23 

64 
58 
g 

110 
78 
17 

99 
89 
19 

108 
53 
27 

89 
67 

28 

89 

72 
15 

99 
53 
21 

106 
85 
19 

127 
67 
20 

Number  mornings  overcast 

51 

44 

64 

63 

86 

52 

77 

105 

77 

118 

Number  mornings  frost  was  seen 
Wind,  direction  from  S.W.  and  W._ 
Wind,  direction  from  N.W.  and  W._ 
Wind,  direction  from  N.E.  and  N._ 
Wind,  direction  from  S.E.  and  S.__ 
Calms 

35 

342 
210 
34 
163 
340 

35 

364 
150 
63 
150 
368 

36 
311 

173 
45 
164 
402 

46 
355 
150 
50 
126 
372 

62 
346 
136 
59 
172 
385 

47 
402 
136 
58 
138 
331 

50 
345 
150 
53 
143 
404 

58 
428 
119 
29 
91 
438 

38 

382 
128 
62 
151 
375 

27 
426 
112 
53 
142 
362 

Seasons. 
Mean  temperature  of  Spring 

54.46 

55  18 

55  73 

5615 

52  97 

5635 

54  1? 

54  63 

55  59 

58  08 

Mean  temperature  of  Summer  
Mean  temperature  of  Autumn  
Mean  temperature  of  Winter  
Difference  between  the  warmest 
and  coldest  months  of  Spring  
Difference  between  the  warmest 
and  coldest  months  of  Summer. 
Difference  between   the  warmest 
and  coldest  months  of  Autumn. 
Difference  between  the  warmest 
and  coldest  months  of  Winter  
Difference  between  the  warmest 
and  coldest  mouths  of  the  year__ 

60.40 
57.75 
48.20 

4.40 
1.99 
6.13 
5.00 
16.20 

61.17 
57.67 
50.39 

1.49 
1.10 

7.76 
6.09 
12.25 

59.36 
56.92 
50.12 

3.68 
.35 
5.93 
1.28 
13.06 

60.07 
57.73 
47.60 

.70 
1.26 
9.14 
5.13 
15.68 

58.95 
55.86 
45.38 

9.91 
1.88 
7.70 
2.37 
15.78 

60.27 
54.78 
51.10 

5.12 
1.55 
8.79 
5.34 
12.38 

60.06 
56.44 
46.80 

5.77 
1.13 
9.68 
2.33 

14.77 

61.16 
.54.25 
46.20 

5.60 
2.78 
10.64 
5.98 
19.26 

61.89 
57.07 
47.38 

6.16 
2.60 
3.99 
1.56 
16.38 

61.23 
59.52 
51.69 

2.04 
3.25 
5.05 
4.38 
13.33 

FOR   TEN    YEARS. 


Mean  difference  between  the  coldest  and  warmest  months  for  ten  years __  19.67 

Mean  temperature  for  ten  years ~~ !__""  55.37 

Mean  barometer  for  ten  years 29^94 

Mean  relative  humidity  for  ten  years II.II I_"II 84^24 

Mean  annual  rainfall  in  inches  for  ten  years «.___  ._  24.28 


28 


SALINAS,  MONTEREY   COUNTY. 

Mean  monthly  temperature  from  May,  1872,  to  December,  1885;  also, 
average  monthly  and  average  yearly  temperature: 


YEAR. 

Jan. 

Feb. 

March. 

April. 

May. 

June. 

July. 

Aug. 

Sept. 

Oct. 

Nov. 

Dec. 

Yearly 

Av'rge. 

1872 

61.3 

634 

624 

606 

596 

564 

522 

478 

*57  96 

1873-... 

51.9 

47.6 

48.1 

60.3 

63.5 

61.1 

57.0 

55.2 

49.6 

t54.92 

1874.... 

49.1 

49.6 

49.2 

55.0 

57.7 

59.8 

62.8 

61.7 

59.8 

58.6 

53.5 

46.0 

55.24 

1875.... 

47.6 

47.8 

47.8 

53.4 

54.8 

60.3 

58.0 

59.9 

58.8 

59.1 

53.8 

49.1 

54.20 

1876-... 

45.4 

47.8 

49.4 

52.3 

54.4 

58.1 

51.9 

58.4 

59.0 

57.1 

51.8 

46.3 

52.66 

1877— 

52.4 

51.7 

54.3 

52.9 

55.6 

60.3 

64.1 

59.6 

56.3 

53.9 

50.9 

48.5 

55.04 

1878—. 

49.4 

49.8 

51.9 

53.1 

55.9 

57.4 

57.3 

58.1 

56.5 

55.3 

50.8 

43.0 

53.21 

1879.-. 

43.5 

50.1 

53.1 

54.2 

55.7 

57.8 

58.0 

59.0 

58.9 

55.2 

49.1 

44.5 

53.26 

1880— 

42.6 

41.9 

44.7 

51.4 

55.0 

51.4 

58.6 

58.1 

59.3 

54.1 

45.7 

50.8 

'  51.13 

1881—. 

49.1 

52.4 

49.9 

54.0 

55.3 

59.4 

58.9 

58.2 

56.4 

52.0 

47.4 

49.0 

53.50 

1882.--. 

43.2 

42.1 

50.1 

50.5 

55.2 

58.4 

59.1 

57.8 

57.2 

54.7 

48.5 

48.3 

52.09 

1883.-. 

42.1 

43.9 

53.2 

58.9 

56.5 

61.3 

59.3 

58.5 

60.5 

55.1 

50.6 

48.5 

62.37 

1884.-. 

46.3 

40.9 

52.7 

53.9 

58.2 

59.2 

59.5 

58.5 

56.9 

50.6 

55.0 

47.6 

53.28 

1885—. 

48.7 

50.3 

55.1 

56.5 

57.9 

56.4 

61.4 

58.9 

58.9 

56.2 

52.7 

52.0 

55.42 

Totals  . 

611.3 

615.9 

659.5 

646.1 

733.5 

763.2 

831.6 

830.8 

819.2 

776.3 

717.2 

671.5 

764.28 

Mont'ly 
av'age. 

47.03 

47.38 

50.73 

53.84 

56.42 

58.71 

59.40 

59.34 

58.51 

55.45 

51.23 

47.96 

54.59 

*  Average  for  eight  months, 
f  Average  for  nine  months. 

SALINAS,  MONTEREY   COUNTY. 

Highest  temperature  at  Salinas  from  May,  1872,  to  December,  1885: 


YEAR. 

Jan. 

Feb. 

Mar. 

April. 

May. 

June. 

July. 

Aug. 

Sept, 

Oct. 

Nov. 

Dec. 

1872 

84 

90 

71 

79 

.  80 

87 

82 

80 

1873  .... 

76 

70 

84 

90 

78 

79 

76 

87 

84 

66 

1874  

66 

66 

70 

70 

82 

79 

77 

76 

88 

85 

75 

73 

1875 

66 

71 

78 

80 

77 

78 

70 

76 

77 

79 

70 

68 

1876 

62 

69 

73 

79 

68 

79 

76 

75 

82 

76 

81 

76 

1877 

77 

73 

70 

64 

70 

88 

76 

79 

87 

79 

78 

69 

1878 

67 

63 

74 

72 

70 

71 

70 

71 

76 

85 

78 

80 

1879  

64 

72 

80 

70 

75 

78 

72 

87 

80 

90 

75 

71 

1880  

70 

64 

65 

64 

87 

76 

72 

70 

71 

86 

83 

70 

1881  .  . 

68 

7f> 

78 

76 

73 

74 

86 

70 

78 

70 

74 

72 

1882  .- 

65 

66 

76 

70 

72 

71 

72 

73 

74 

81 

75 

76 

1883 

66 

81 

84 

68 

85 

94 

74 

78 

96 

76 

75 

75 

1884..,. 

65 

76 

72 

72 

80 

72 

75 

76 

75 

84 

80 

66 

1885 

70 

75 

82 

82 

76 

73 

73 

76 

82 

72 

72 

74 

Highest  . 

76 

81 

84 

82 

90 

94 

86 

87 

98 

90 

84 

80 

and 
Year 

1873 

1883 

*1873 

1885 

1873 

1883 

1881 

1879 

1883 

1879 

1873 

11872 

*Same  in  1888. 
fSame  in  1878. 


29 


SALINAS,   MONTEREY   COUNTY. 

Lowest  temperature  from  May,  1872,  to  December,  1885: 


YEAR. 

Jan. 

Feb. 

Mar. 

April. 

May. 

June. 

July. 

Aug. 

Sept. 

Oct. 

Nov. 

Dec. 

1872 

47 

54 

56 

52 

47 

36 

32 

22 

1873 

36 

30 

36 

53 

52 

46 

30 

35 

36 

1874 

31 

32 

33 

43 

45 

50 

52 

52 

48 

46 

33 

23 

1875 

28 

32 

32 

33 

48 

49 

52 

51 

50 

39 

38 

31 

1876  

30 

30 

32 

40 

44 

40 

51 

52 

51 

42 

35 

31 

1877    .  .. 

21 

25 

37 

44 

47 

52 

54 

54 

50 

35 

34 

34 

1878 

30 

28 

37 

41 

48 

51 

51 

52 

50 

42 

30 

26 

1879 

26 

29 

32 

44 

45 

52 

52 

53 

50 

42 

30 

20 

1880  

25 

25 

32 

41 

44 

49 

52 

52 

45 

41 

28 

38 

1881  

32 

36 

32 

45 

45 

52 

52 

51 

44 

31 

29 

.   33 

1882  '..  .  ... 

22 

28 

32 

42 

44 

53 

53 

52 

50 

40 

30 

28 

1883 

20 

24 

44 

40 

45 

53 

54 

52 

50 

38 

29 

32 

1884 

30 

25 

34 

44 

50 

54 

53 

54 

45 

37 

40 

26 

1885 

33 

32 

36 

41 

50 

51 

54 

57 

46 

38 

30 

32 

Lowest 

20 

24 

32 

33 

44 

40 

51 

51 

44 

30 

28 

20 

and 
Year  

1883 

1883 

*1875 

1875 

U876 

1875 

U876 

§1875 

•1881 

1873 

1880 

1879 

*  Same  in  1876,  1879, 1880, 1881,  and  1882. 
f  Same  in  1880  and  1882. 
j  Same  in  1877. 
?  Same  in  1880. 


POWAY,    SAN   DIEGO   COUNTY. 

Mean  monthly  temperature  at  Poway,  San  Diego  County,  from  Novem- 
ber, 1878,  to  December,  1885;  also,  the  average  monthly  and  yearly  tem- 
peratures: 


MONTH  OF  — 

1878. 

1879. 

1880. 

1881. 

1882. 

1883. 

1884. 

1885. 

Monthly 
Averages. 

January  

47.2 

46.3 

49.7 

45.9 

50.1 

50.5 

49.4 

48.44 

February    

52.4 

44.3 

54.0 

46.8 

51.4 

53.0 

520 

5056 

March 

55.4 

48.1 

54.2 

525 

468 

538 

573 

5259 

April 

567 

552 

607 

54  8 

566 

566 

601 

5724 

May  

58.4 

61.4 

64.1 

62.0 

60.7 

61.6 

63.3 

61.64 

June  

65.2 

64.7 

66.1 

64.5 

693 

652 

652 

6574 

July 

68.8 

650 

716 

685 

711 

697 

708 

6936 

August 

706 

682 

709 

716 

703 

660 

758 

7049 

September  

67.5 

61.0 

69.4 

67.9 

70.6 

65.0 

69.3 

67.24 

October 

60.7 

60.5 

61.7 

606 

593 

595 

634 

6081 

November  
December  

"53.8 
46.1 

52.6 
51.2 

53.6 
53.4 

54.4 
51.3 

54.7 
53.6 

55.8 
54.7 

54.6 
50.0 

57.7 
53.6 

55.90 
51.74 

Totals  

706.7 

681.7 

728.1 

7034 

716.7 

7055 

7379 

71175 

Yearly  av'ges. 

58.89 

56.81 

60.68 

58.62 

59.72 

58.79 

6149 

5931 

30 


POWAY,  SAN   DIEGO   COUNTY. 

Highest  temperature   at  Poway,  San   Diego   County,   California,   from 
November,  1878,  to  December,  1885: 


MONTH. 

1878. 

1879. 

1880. 

1881. 

1882. 

1883. 

1884. 

1885. 

January  

79 

78 

73 

75 

86 

76 

71 

February   _.  .     . 

85 

87 

85 

77 

82 

82 

81 

March 

78 

73 

87 

80 

80 

71 

87 

April 

86 

79 

92 

80 

86 

74 

88 

May 

98 

93 

90 

80 

93 

79 

80 

June  

110 

86 

89 

84 

97 

101 

90 

July    .       .       .-     ...     . 

88 

86 

97 

89 

93 

101 

97 

August 

98 

93 

97 

93 

94 

104 

103 

September 

100 

91 

101 

96 

102 

90 

103 

October 

97 

88 

82 

89 

81 

87 

97 

November  

84 

84 

85 

84 

85 

82 

87 

82 

December  

89 

77 

84 

82 

88 

80 

78 

85 

Highest 

110 

93 

101 

98 

102 

104 

103 

and 
Month 

June 

*Mav 

Sept 

Sept 

Sept 

All£f 

tAue 

*  Same  for  August. 
fSame  for  September. 

POWAY,    SAN   DIEGO   COUNTY. 

Lowest  temperature  from  November,  1878,  to  December,  1885: 


MONTH. 

1878. 

1879. 

1880. 

1881. 

1882. 

1883. 

1884. 

1885. 

January 

25 

26 

32 

27 

28 

31 

30 

February 

29 

29 

35 

33 

28 

33 

32 

March 

36 

32 

.     39 

38 

45 

40 

37 

April  

42 

43 

53 

42 

45 

43 

46 

May 

49 

47 

55 

50 

49 

52 

52 

June 

55 

53 

56 

54 

58 

56 

55 

July 

57 

54 

56 

58 

62 

59 

60 

August 

54 

52 

58 

60 

61 

59 

63 

September  

51 

51 

54 

47 

56 

53 

57 

October  

38 

42 

42 

41 

42 

41 

41 

November        

25 

30 

32 

31 

34 

36 

33 

38 

December 

21 

28 

34 

21 

32 

35 

30 

35 

Lowest 

25 

26 

21 

27 

28 

30 

30 

and 
Month  

Jan. 

Jan. 

Dec. 

Jan. 

*Jan. 

Dec. 

Jan. 

*  Same  for  February. 


31 


SAN   DIEGO,  CALIFORNIA. 

Highest  and  lowest  temperatures  at  San  Diego,  in  each  year,  for  thirteen 
years: 


YEAR. 

Highest, 
Degrees. 

Lowest, 
Degrees. 

YEAR. 

Highest, 
Degrees. 

Lowest, 
Degrees. 

1872 

87.0 

37.0 

1879  

99.0 

32.0 

1873 

85.0 

37.0 

1880  

84.0 

32.0 

1874 

900 

39.0 

1881    ._-  

85.5 

36.0 

1875 

880 

380 

1882     

83.4 

34.2 

1876 

880 

390 

1883         -               

101.0 

32.4 

1877 

94.0 

40.0 

1884  .--  

91.5 

36.0 

1878 

100.0 

35.4 

1885   

89.5 

38.2 

RECORD  OF  RAINFALL 


FROM  SAN  DIEGO  TO   SISKIYOU  AND  FROM  SAN  FRANCISCO  TO 

PLACERVILLE. 


The  rainfall  at  Poway,  San  Diego  County,  was  furnished  by  Adams 
Chapin,  voluntary  observer  of  the  United  States  Signal  Service: 

RAINFALL   AT   POWAY,    SAN   DIEGO   COUNTY. 


I 

January 

C51 

c" 

B 

i 

1 

f 

CD 

| 

p 

1 

1 

Septembe 

0 
n 

-< 
™ 

1 

1 

c5 

For  Seaso 

Total  for  fc 

, 

j 

••3 

, 

H 

a 

I 

i 

I 

j 

i 

i 

? 

a, 

| 

o 

1878     _ 

.02 

1.57 

1879  

2.88 

1.50 

none 

1.20 

.08 

.20 

none 

none 

none 

.30 

2.75 

4.72 

13.73 

1879-80 

15.61 

1880  

1.13 

1.54 

1.76 

3.10 

.09 

none 

.06 

.16 

none 

.74 

.30, 

3.56 

12.44 

1880-81 

10.43 

1881  

1.16 

.60 

2.86 

1.14 

.03 

none 

none 

.04 

.03 

1.17 

.20 

.73 

7.96 

1881-82 

13.39 

1882  

6.40 

2.69 

1.13 

.90 

.04 

.09 

none 

.01 

.04 

.29 

.60 

.27 

12.46 

1882-83 

8.47 

1883  

.94 

1.76 

1.87 

1.36 

1.34 

none 

none 

none 

none 

1.59 

none 

2.40 

11.26 

1883-84 

29.45 

1884  

1.59 

9.40 

6.96 

4.81 

2.26 

.44 

none 

none 

none 

.24 

.38 

5.91 

31.99 

1884-85 

10.69 

1885  

.72 

.35 

.34 

2.05 

.63 

.07 

none 

none 

none 

.06 

2.71 

.90 

7.83 

1885-86 

*10.78 

1886 

6.34 

.77 

Totals 

21.16 

18.61 

14.92 

14.66 

4.47 

.80 

.06 

.21 

.07 

4.39 

6.96  1 

20.06 

97.67 

88.04 

Av'ges  _ 

2.645 

2.326 

2.131 

2.094 

.638 

.114 

.009 

.030 

.010 

.627 

.870 

2.507 

13.953 

14.674 

' 

*Up  to  March  1,1886. 


32 


SAN   DIEGO,    SAN   DIEGO   COUNTY. 

This  table  runs  from  November  1,  1871,  to  March  1,  1886.  The  figures 
are  from  the  annual  reports  of  the  Chief  Signal  Officer.  They  show  the 
rainfall  by  calendar  years  and  seasonal  years;  also,  the  totals  and  averages 
by  months: 


«! 

I 

1 

% 

> 

g 

z 

a 

g 

I 

0 

0 

0 

H 

J? 

H 

** 

§ 

% 

2 

2. 

^ 

^ 

OR? 

o 

5 

£ 

3" 

§ 

£• 

& 

ET 

1 

CB 

• 

£D 

3 

3 

p 

cc 

? 

i 

1 

* 

1 

1 

o1 

H< 

O 

i 

I 

j 

i 

i 

! 

1 

I 

1871  

1.19 

1.39 

1872  

.99 

1.63 

.46 

.26 

.12 

none 

none 

.18 

none 

none 

none 

1.41 

5.05 

1871-72 

6.22 

1873  

.34 

4.15 

.11 

.10 

.01 

none 

none 

1.95 

none 

none 

.77 

5.46 

12.89 

1872-73 

8.10 

1874  

3.11 

3.73 

1.20 

.35 

.32 

none 

.12 

none 

.04 

.53 

.88 

.55 

10.83 

1873-74 

15.06 

1875  

2.38 

.37 

.45 

.12 

.20 

.02 

none 

.21 

.39 

none 

2.25 

.41 

6.80 

1874-75 

5.75 

1876  

2.47 

2.44 

1.78 

.06 

.05 

.05 

.03 

.06 

.03 

.08 

.04 

.15 

7.24 

1875-76 

9.99 

1877_ 

1.05 

.23 

1.44 

.26 

.43 

none 

none 

none 

none 

.81 

.06 

3.89 

8.17 

1876-77 

3.71 

1878  

1.45 

4.83 

1.41 

2.91 

.58 

.16 

none 

none 

none 

.96 

none 

1.57 

13.87 

1877-78 

16.10 

1879  

3.54 

1.04 

.10 

.60 

sprin 

.07 

none 

none 

none 

.29 

2.77 

6.30 

14.71 

1878-79 

7.88 

1880  

.61 

1.50 

1.43 

1.34 

.06 

.06 

.09 

.32 

none 

.53 

.28 

4.15 

10.37 

1879-80 

14.77 

1881  

.52 

.45 

1.88 

1.35 

.04 

.05 

none 

.01 

.04 

.24 

.12 

.30 

5.00 

1880-81 

9.26 

1882 

4.53 

2.55 

1.02 

.45 

.18 

.07 

none 

none 

.01 

.41 

.39 

.13 

9.74 

1881-82 

9.51 

1883  

1.09 

.95 

.41 

.31 

1.14 

.08 

none 

none 

none 

2.01 

.20 

1.82 

8.01 

1882-83 

4.92 

1884  

1.34 

9.05 

6.23 

2.84 

2.17 

.31 

none 

none 

.07 

none 

.11 

4.83 

26.95 

1883-84 

25.97 

1885  

.35 

.02 

.78 

1.20 

.61 

.06 

sprin 

.13 

sprin 

.31 

1.56 

.70 

5.72 

1884-85 

8.16 

1886  

7.00 

1.50 

1885-86 

*11.07 

Totals 

3077 

3444 

1870 

12  15 

5  91 

93 

24 

2  86 

58 

617 

1062 

3306 

145  35 

145.40 

AVges  _ 

1.698 

2.296 

1.335 

.868 

.422 

.066 

.017 

.204 

.041 

.455 

.708 

2.204 

10.382 



10.386 

*  Up  to  March  1, 1886. 


SAN   BERNARDINO,    SAN   BERNARDINO   COUNTY. 

The  rainfall  at  San  Bernardino  was  furnished  by  Mr.  Sidney  P.  Waite,  of 
the  San  Bernardino  Water  Company,  and  extends  from  July,  1870,  to 
March  1,  1886,  and  is  as  follows: 


§ 

1 

g 

| 

1 

g 

CH 

CTQ 

"1 

g 

o 
g 

? 

? 

1 

1 

YEAR. 

I 

| 

1 

1 

i-i 

1 

1 

1 

3 
O 

c1 

1870 

02 

09 

3  11 

89 

1871  
1872  

6.91 
none 

2.21 
2.20 

.19 

.37 

.34 
.79 

.11 
.06 

.07 
none 

none 
none 

.04 
.18 

.13 

.04 

.60 
none 

.88 
1.17 

3.91 

4.40 

15.39 
9.21 

1870-71 
1871-72 

13.94 
8.98 

1873  

6.50 

1.25 

.51 

.84 

.21 

none 

none 

1.06 

.02 

.01 

.74 

5.73 

16.87 

1872-73 

15.10 

1874  

5.51 

8.76 

1.08 

.48 

.42 

none 

none 

none 

.06 

1.82 

1.88 

2.20 

23.21 

1873-74 

23.81 

1875  _  _ 

7.20 

0.15 

0.22 

.07 

.05 

none 

none 

none 

none 

none 

7.50 

.02 

15.21 

1874-75 

13.65 

1876  

6.55 

1.92 

3.41 

.44 

.03 

.03 

none 

none 

none 

.20 

.40 

none 

12.98 

1875-76 

19.90 

1877      . 

3.50 

4.03 

.83 

.26 

.30 

none 

none 

none 

none 

.86 

.50 

3.95 

14.23 

1870-77 

9.52 

1878  

3.33 

6.68 

2.57 

1.71 

.66 

.07 

.07 

none 

.02 

.14 

.05 

4.70 

20.00 

1877-78 

20.33 

1879  

3.59 

1.00 

.50 

1.20 

.24 

.03 

.11 

.02 

.01 

.94 

3.40 

6.50 

17.54 

1878-79 

11.54 

1880  

1.56 

1.33 

1.45 

5.00 

.04 

none 

none 

none 

none 

.14 

.67 

8.80 

18.99 

1879-80 

20.36 

1881  

1.40 

.36 

1.66 

.46 

.01 

none 

none 

none 

none 

.80 

,27 

.50 

5.41 

1880-81 

13.50 

1882.  

2.65 

3.30 

2.91 

none 

none 

none 

none 

none 

.10 

.15 

.45 

9.67 

1881-82 

11.54 

1883  

1.60 

1.10 

2.82 

2.95 

none 

none 

.19 

none 

.53 

.85 

.09 

2.63 

12.76 

1882-83 

8.17 

1884  

1.63 

12.20 

9.95 

5.68 

3.17 

.59 

none 

none 

none 

none 

.11 

3.75 

37.08 

1883-84 

37.51 

1885.     _ 

2.79 

.11 

.28 

1.89 

1.69 

.19 

none 

none 

none 

.39 

4.36 

1.20 

12.90 

1884-85 

10.81 

1886 

644 

252 

1885-86 

f!4.91 

Totals 

59  62 

48  47 

29  14 

25  02 

6  99 

98 

37 

1  30 

83 

6  94 

95  28 

49  63 

241.45 

239.66 

M'nthly 

3  726 

3  029 

1  943 

1  668 

466 

065 

023 

081 

052 

434 

1  580 

3  102 

16.097 

15.977 

*  Twelve  inches  snow  January  12. 1882. 


33 


LOS  ANGELES,  LOS  ANGELES  COUNTY. 

The  following  figures,  from  February,  1872,  to  June,  1877,  are  from  the 
records  of  .Mr.  C.  Duncommun,  of  Los  Angeles;  from  July,  1877,  to  date,  are 


irom  i 

,ne  c 

igna 

1   Vll 

ice  r 

Bcorc 

IB 

H 

4H 

a 

g 

> 

g- 

«H 

M 

> 

C? 

o 

a 

H 

cc 

M 

S3 

| 

I 

1 

i 

1 

"S 

* 

a 

CD 

f 

03 

§ 

1 

CD 

B 

B 

1 

§ 

8 

3 

P 

1 

cf 

1 

3 

o 

| 

\ 

| 

1 

1872 

2.25 

.43 

.97 

.10 

none 

none 

.22 

none 

none 

none 

4.42 

*8.39 

1872-73 

14.80 

1873  

2.08 

7.19 

.05 

none 

none 

none 

none 

1.06 

none 

none 

.74 

5.74 

16.86 

1873-74 

23.72 

1874  

5.51 

9.77 

1.09 

.45 

.42 

none 

none 

none 

.06 

1.81 

1.89 

.20 

21.20 

1874-75 

21.67 

1875.  

17.22 

.15 

.22 

.07 

.05 

none 

none 

none 

none 

none 

7.57 

.82 

26.10 

1875-76 

26.74 

1876  

6.54 

7.92 

3.41 

.45 

.03 

none 

none 

none 

none 

.40 

none 

none 

18.75 

1876-77 

5.28 

1877.— 

3.48 

.01 

.83 

.26 

.30 

none 

none 

none 

none 

.86 

.45 

3.93 

10.12 

1877-78 

21.26 

1878  

3.33 

7.68 

2.57 

1.71 

.66 

.07 

none 

none 

none 

.14 

none 

4.70 

20.86 

1878-79 

11.35 

1879  

3.59 

.97 

.49 

1.19 

.24 

.03 

none 

none 

none 

.93 

3.44 

6.53 

17.41 

1879-80 

20.34 

1880  

1.33 

1.56 

1.45 

5.06 

.04 

none 

sprin 

sprin 

none 

.14 

.67 

8.40 

18.65 

1880-81 

13.13 

1881 

1.43 

.36 

1.66 

.46 

.01 

none 

none 

sprin 

sprin 

.82 

.27 

.52- 

5.53 

1881-82 

10.40 

1882.  

1.01 

2.66 

2.66 

1.83 

.63 

sprin 

none 

none 

sprin 

.05 

1.82 

.08 

10.74 

1882-83 

12.11 

1883  

1.62 

3.47 

2.87 

.15 

2.02 

.03 

sprin 

none 

none 

1.42 

none 

2.56 

14.14 

1883-84 

38.26 

1884  

3.ir, 

13.37 

12.36 

3.58 

.39 

1.39 

.02 

.02 

sprin 

.39 

1.07 

4.65 

40.39 

1884-85 

9.25 

1885  

1.05 

.01 

.01 

2.01 

.06 

sprin 

sprin 

sprin 

.05 

.30 

5.55 

1.65 

10.69 

1885-86 

f!6.76 

1886  

7.80 

1.4.1 

1886-87 

Totals  __ 

59.14 

58.78 

30.10 

18.19 

4.95 

1.52 

.02 

1.30 

.11 

7.26 

23.47 

44.20 

239.83 

245.07 

Av'ges  _ 

4.224 

3.919 

2.150 

1.299 

.354 

.109 

.001 

.093 

.008 

.519 

1.676 

3.157 

17.129 



17.505 

*  Total  for  eleven  months, 
f  Up  to  March  1,1886. 


SALINAS,    MONTEREY    COUNTY. 


The  rainfall  of  Salinas,  Monterey  County,  was  furnished  by  Dr.  E.  K. 
Abbott,  and  extends  from  July,  1872,  to  March  1,  1886,  showing  the  rain- 
fall by  months,  years,  and  seasons  also  the  averages: 


? 

!H 

g 

tt 

"5 

M 

4-| 

CH 

C 

> 

| 

0 

a 

e 

g 

| 

t—  i 
a 

5 

3 

5 

<< 

en? 

C 

CD" 

0, 

CD 

CD 

E 

1 

& 

! 

q 

1 

i 

£ 

3 

1- 

I 

o5 

B 

OQ 

i 

[ 

^ 
i 

* 

~. 

H 

i 

i 

i 

: 

! 

! 

r 

1872    ' 

01 

02 

02 

6  80 

1872-73 

13  45 

1873  

3.40 

2.40 

.80 

none 

none 

none 

none 

none 

.10 

.10 

.20 

4.25 

11.25 

1873-74 

11.17 

1874  

3.42 

none 

2.15 

.95 

none 

none 

none 

none 

none 

1.83 

1.42 

none 

9.77 

187 

4-75 

8.59 

1875  

4.50 

.15 

.69 

none 

none 

none 

none 

none 

none 

none 

5.17 

2.18 

12.69 

1875-76 

21.69 

1876  __ 

6.16 

3.55 

4.52 

none 

.01 

none 

.10 

none 

.05 

1.04 

.05 

none 

15.48 

187 

6-77 

4.64 

1877  

2.54 

.16 

.30 

.10 

.40 

none 

none 

none 

none 

.12 

1.00 

2.39 

7.01 

1877-78 

23.82 

1878  

7.05 

8.77 

2.57 

1.92 

none 

none 

none 

none 

.05 

.60 

.20 

.35 

21.51 

187 

8-79 

10.94 

1879  

2.42 

2.81 

1.85 

1.69 

.82 

.15 

none 

none 

none 

1.05 

1.08 

2.28 

14.15 

1879-80 

13.22 

1880  

1.65 

1.16 

1.64 

3.90 

.46 

none 

none 

none 

none 

none 

.57 

5.56 

14.94 

188 

n-8i 

14.07 

1881 

3.32 

2.32 

1.26 

.66 

none 

.38 

none 

none 

.10 

.28 

.67 

1.24 

10.23 

1881-82 

12.93 

1882  

1.78 

2.31 

4.86 

1.01 

.49 

.19 

none 

none 

.38 

1.43 

.65 

1.95 

15.05 

188 

fl-83 

11.79 

1883  

.91 

.95 

2.26 

1.28 

1.98 

none 

none 

none 

.19 

1.19 

.25 

.90 

9.91 

188 

V84 

20.43 

1884.  

1.71 

4.49 

5.09 

3.05 

.72 

2.66 

none 

.18 

.11 

1.79 

.28 

4.46 

24.54 

1884-85 

9.30 

1885  

1.09 

.05 

.19 

1.21 

.12 

none 

none 

none 

.02 

.08 

6.60 

1.30 

10.66 

188 

•i-86 

*14.57 

1886  

5.10 

1.47 

Totals  __ 

45.05 

30.59 

28.18 

15.77 

5.00 

3.38 

.10 

.18 

1.01 

9.53 

18.16 

33.66 

177.19 

176.04 

Av'ges  _ 

3.218 

2.185 

2.168 

1.213 

.385 

.260 

.007 

.013 

.072 

.681 

1.297 

2.404 

13.630 

13.541 

*  Up  to  March  1,  1886. 


34 


SAN    FRANCISCO. 


The  rainfall  from  1849  to  1875  in  the  following  table  were  taken  from 
the  report  of  the  State  Agricultural  Society  for  1874,  and  was  furnished  to 
that  society  by  Thomas  Tennant.  The  rainfall  from  1875  to  date  is  com- 
piled from  the  reports  of  the  Chief  Signal  Officer: 


p 

I 

1 

| 

i 

1 

1 

| 

1 

I 

| 

f 

»           H 

1 

B 

N 

D 

EP 

tM 

I 

<t> 

a 

2 

i-t- 

y 

;» 

| 

f 

* 

1 

Q 

1849 

none 
none 
none 
none 

none 
none 
none 
none 

none 

.33 
1.03 
none 

3.14 
none 
.21 

.80 

8.66 
.92 
2.12 
5.31 

6.20 
1.05 
7.10 
13.20 

1850  
1851  
1852  

8.34 

.72 
.58 

1.77 
.54 
.14 

4.53 
1.94 
6.68 

.46 
1.23 

.26 

none 
.67 
.32 

none 
none 
none 

17.40 
15.56 
27.29 

1849-50 
1850-51 
1851-52 

33.10 
7.40 
18.44 

1853  

3.92 

1.42 

4.86 

5.37 

.35 

none 

none 

.04 

.46 

.12 

2.28 

2.32 

21.14 

1852-53 

35.26 

1854.  

3.88 

8.04 

3.51 

3.12 

.02 

.08 

none 

.01 

.15 

2.41 

.34 

.81 

22.37 

1853-54 

23.87 

1855  

3.67 

4.77 

4.64 

5.00 

1.88 

none 

none 

none 

none 

none 

.67 

5.76 

26.39 

1854-55 

23.68 

1856  

9.40 

.50 

1.60 

2.94 

.76 

.03 

.02 

none 

.07 

.45 

2.79 

3.75 

22.31 

1855-56 

21.66 

1857  

2.45 

8.59 

.1.62 

none 

.02 

.12 

none 

.05 

none 

.93 

3.01 

4.14 

20.93 

1856-57 

19.88 

1858  

4.36 

1.83 

5.55 

1.55 

.34 

.05 

.05 

.16 

none 

2.74 

.69 

6.14 

23.46 

1857-58 

21.81 

1859  

1.28 

6.32 

3.02 

.27 

1.55 

none 

none 

.02 

.03 

.05 

7.28 

1.57 

21.39 

1858-59 

22.22 

1860  

1.64 

1.60 

3.99 

3.14 

2.86 

.09 

.21 

none 

none 

.19 

.58 

6.16 

20.46 

1859-60 

22.27 

1861  

2.47 

3.72 

4.08 

.51 

1.00 

.08 

none 

none 

.02 

none 

4.10 

9.54 

25.52 

1860-61 

19.00 

1862  

24.36 

7.53 

2.20 

.73 

.74 

.05 

none 

none 

none 

.40 

.15 

2.35 

38.51 

1861-62 

49.27 

1863  

3.63 

3.19 

2.06 

1.04 

.26 

none 

none 

none 

.03 

none 

2.55 

1.80 

14.56 

1862-63 

13.08 

1864  

1.83 

none 

1.52 

1.57 

.78 

none 

none 

.21 

.01 

.13 

6.68 

8.91 

21.64 

1863-64 

10.08 

1865  

5.14 

1.34 

.74 

.94 

.63 

none 

none 

none 

.24 

.26 

4.19 

.58 

14.06 

1864-65 

24.73 

1866  

10.88 

2.12 

3.04 

.12 

1.46 

.04 

hone 

none 

.11 

none 

3.35 

15.16 

36.28 

1865-66 

22.93 

1867  

5.16 

7.20 

1.58 

2.36 

none 

none 

none 

none 

.04 

.20 

3.41 

10.69 

30.64 

1866-67 

34.92 

1868  

9.50 

6.13 

6.30 

2.31 

.03 

.23 

none 

none 

none 

.15 

1.18 

4.34 

30.17 

1867-68 

38.84 

1869  

6.35 

3.90 

3.14 

2.19 

.08 

.02 

none 

none 

.12 

1.29 

1.19 

4.31 

22.59 

1868-69 

21.35 

1870  

3.89 

4.78 

2.00 

1.53 

.20 

none 

none 

none 

.03 

none 

.43 

3.38 

16.24 

1869-70 

19.31 

1871  

3.07 

3.76 

1.29 

1.93 

.21 

none 

none 

none  i      .03 

.11 

3.72 

16.74 

30.86 

1870-71 

14.10 

1872  

4.22 

6.97 

1.64 

1.10 

.16 

.02 

none 

none        .14 

.21 

2.62 

7.25 

24.33 

1871-72 

34.71 

1873  

2.17 

4.24 

.78 

.52 

.01 

.08 

.03 

.15     none 

.68 

1.31 

10.12 

20.09 

1872-73 

18.02 

1874  

4.85 

1.83 

3.55 

1.0* 

.34 

.08 

none 

none 

.83 

2.73 

5.92 

.28 

21.45 

1873-74 

23.98 

1875  

6.97 

.20 

1.08 

.02 

.11 

1.01 

none 

none 

none 

.24 

7.27 

4.15 

21.05 

1874-75 

19.15 

1876  

7.55 

4.92 

5.49 

1.29 

.24 

.04 

.01 

.01 

.38 

3.36 

25 

none 

23.54 

1875-76 

31.21 

1877  

4.32 

1.18 

1.08 

.26 

.18 

.91 

.02 

none 

none 

.65 

1.57 

2.66 

11.93 

1876-77 

11.04 

1878  

11.97 

12.52 

4.56 

1.06 

.16 

.01 

.01 

none 

.55 

1.27 

.57 

.58 

33.26 

1877-78 

35.17 

1879  

3.52 

4.90 

8.75 

1.89 

2.35 

.05 

.01 

.02 

sprin 

.78 

4.03 

4.46 

30.76 

1878-79 

24.40 

1880  

2.23 

1.87 

2.08 

10.06 

1.12 

none 

none 

none 

none 

.05 

.33 

12.33 

30.07 

1879-80 

26.63 

1881  

8.69 

4.64 

.90 

2.00 

.22 

.69 

none 

none 

.25 

.54 

1.94 

3.85 

23.72 

1880-81 

29.86 

1882  

1.68 

2.96 

3.45 

1.22 

.21 

.04 

none 

none 

.26 

2.66 

4.18 

2.01 

18.67 

1881-82 

16.14 

1883  

1.92 

1.04 

3.01 

1.51 

3.52 

.01 

none 

none 

.42 

1.48 

1.60 

.92 

15.43 

1882-83 

20.12 

1884  

3.94 

6.65 

8.24 

6.33 

.23 

2.57 

sprin 

.04 

.33 

2.55 

.26 

7.68 

38.82 

1883-84 

32.42 

1885  

2.53 

.30 

1.01 

3.17 

.04 

.19 

.06 

sprin 

.11 

.    .72 

11.78 

4.99 

24.90 

1884-85 

18.12 

1886  

7.42 

.24 

1885-86 

|25.26 

Totals 

190.50 

1  33  KK 

115.51 

70.04 

23.08 

5.59 

.42 

7.1 

5.97 

31.50 

109.23 

197.25 

857.79 

858.23 

Av'ges 

5.149    3.612 

3.209 

1.946 

.641 

.155 

.011 

.019 

.161 

.851 

2.952 

5.331 

23.827 

23.840 

f  Up  to  March  1, 1886. 


35 


OAKLAND,   ALAMEDA   COUNTY. 

The  rainfall  record  below  was  taken  by  Mr.  James  Hutchison,  of  the 
Bay  Nursery,  Oakland.  It  shows  the  rainfall  by  months,  by  years,  and 
by  seasons,  along  with  the  monthly  totals  and  averages,  extending  from 
October,  1873,  to  March  1,  1886: 


H 

«H 

N 

g 

> 

g 

«_, 

t, 

> 

•z 

0 

53 

M 

H 

02 

H 

1 

| 

1 

i 

£ 

•3 

<B 

f 

i 

1 

1 

1 

g 

3 

«> 

' 

i 

i 

1 

i 

2 

1 

o> 

2, 

•t 

i 

! 

| 

1 

; 

8 

r 

r 

1873 

.60 

.60 

10.18 

1874 

5.60 

1.80 

5.25 

1.25 

.75 

none 

noye 

none 

none 

2.34 

9.18 

.31 

26.48 

1873-74 

26.03 

1875 

6.15 

.30 

1.65 

none 

.10 

1.64 

none 

none 

none 

.30 

7.83 

4.10 

22.07 

1874-75 

21.67 

1876  

5.28 

4.87 

4.55 

.93 

.45 

.24 

.10 

none 

.15 

4.74 

.25 

none 

21.56 

1875-76 

28.55 

1877_ 

4.19 

1.42 

.96 

.22 

.33 

none 

.18 

none 

none 

.45 

1.62 

1.75 

11.12 

1876-77 

12.36 

1878  

10.82 

11.63 

4.30 

1.18 

.40 

none 

none 

none 

.57 

1.85 

.65 

.31 

31.71 

1877-78 

32.33 

1879      _ 

3.84 

5.65 

7.96 

1.17 

1.39 

.16 

none 

none 

none 

.70 

2.98 

5.06 

28.91 

1878-79 

23.55 

1880  

1.71 

2.19 

1.70 

8.46 

1.04 

none 

none 

none 

none 

.05 

.35 

12.57 

28.07 

1879-80 

23.84 

1881       - 

10.48 

3.95 

.88 

1.40 

.50 

1.16 

none 

none 

.40 

.82 

1.49 

5.09 

26.17 

1880-81 

31.34 

1882_  

2.42 

2.05 

4.20 

1.51 

.15 

none 

none 

none 

.42 

2.65 

4.33 

1.14 

18.87 

1881-82 

18.13 

1883     _ 

1.95 

.70 

3.33 

2.20 

3.50 

none 

none 

none 

1.00 

1.03 

.90 

1.15 

15.76 

1882-83 

20.22 

1884  

3.81 

5.25 

8.59 

5.79 

.55 

3.03 

none 

.25 

.35 

2.80 

.05 

7.73 

38.20 

1883-84 

31.10 

1885.     _ 

1.92 

.48 

1.07 

3.12 

.10 

.08 

.02 

none 

.05 

.30 

11.11 

4.33 

22.58 

1884-85 

17.72 

1886 

677 

30 

1885-86 

*2286 

Totals     1  64  94 

4059 

4444 

2723 

926 

631 

30 

25 

2.94 

18.63 

41.34 

53.72 

291.50 

286.84 

Av'ges  . 

4.995 

3.122 

3.703 

2.269 

.772 

.526 

.025 

.021 

.245 

1.433 

3.180 

4.132 

24.292 



23.903 

*  Up  to  March  1, 1886. 


36 


SACRAMENTO,  SACRAMENTO  COUNTY. 


The  following  table  of  rainfall  at  Sacramento,  from  September,  1849,  to 
December  31,  1885,  was  collated  from  the  records  of  Dr.  T.  M.  Logan,  Dr. 
F.  W.  Hatch,  and  those  of  the  United  States  Signal  Service  office: 


H 

s_ 

£ 

g 

> 

g 

CH 

CH 

^ 

03 

o 

&4 

y 

1-3            oa 

i—  i 

g 

i 

1 

S 

*]3 

f 

0 
§' 

g 

"a 

g. 

f 

o 

2. 

CD 

•     3 

f 

1 

g. 

- 

'  •• 

1 

'" 

1 

| 

§ 

y 

8 

, 

? 

! 

1 

HJ 

! 

1 

3 

o 

i 
1 

| 

[ 

i 

j 

j 

P 

f 

1849 

.25 

1.50 

2.25 

12.50 

1849-50 

36.00 

1850  

4.50 

.50 

10.00 

4.25 

.25 

none 

none 

none 

none 

none 

sprin 

sprin 

19.50 

1850-51 

4/71 

185 

L  

.65 

.35 

1.88 

1.14 

.69 

none 

none 

nqne 

1.00 

.18 

2.14 

7.07 

15.10 

1851-52 

17.98 

1852  

.58 

.12 

6.40 

.19 

.30 

none 

none 

none 

sprin 

none 

6.00 

13.41 

27.00 

1852-53 

36.36 

185 

i  

3.00 

2.00 

7.00 

3.50 

1.45 

sprin 

sprin 

none 

sprin 

sprin 

1.50 

1.54 

19.99 

1853-54 

20.06 

185 

*___ 

3.25 

8.50 

3.25 

1.50 

.21 

.31 

none 

sprin 

sprin 

1.01 

.65 

1.15 

19.83 

1854-55 

18.62 

1855  

2.67 

3.46 

4.20 

4.32 

1.15 

.01 

none 

none 

sprin 

none 

.75 

2.00 

18.56 

1855-56 

13.76 

185 

5  

4.92 

.69 

1.40 

2.13 

1.84 

.03 

none 

none 

sprin 

.20 

.65 

2.40 

14.26 

1856-57 

10.46 

1857  

1.38 

4.80 

.68 

spriu 

sprin 

.35 

none 

sprin 

none 

.66 

2.41 

2.63 

12.91 

1857-58 

15.00 

185 

3  

2.44 

2.46 

2.88 

1.21 

.20 

.10 

.01 

sprin 

sprin 

3.01 

.15 

4.34 

16.80 

1858-59 

16.03 

185 

L— 

.96 

3.91 

1.64 

.98 

1.04 

none 

none 

none 

.02 

none 

6.48 

1.83 

16.86 

1859-60 

22.09 

1860  

2.31 

.93 

5.11 

2.87 

2.49 

.02 

.63 

none 

.06 

.91 

.18 

4.28 

19.19 

1860-61 

16.10 

186 

1  

2.67 

2.92 

3.32 

.48 

.59 

.14 

.55 

none 

none 

sprin 

2.17 

8.64  !  21.38 

1861-62 

35.56 

186 

i  

15.04 

4.26 

2.80 

.82 

1.81 

.01 

none 

.01 

none 

.36 

sprin 

2.:i:j    27.44 

186263 

11.58 

1863  

1.73 

2.75 

2.36 

1.69 

.36 

none 

none 

none 

sprin 

none 

1.49 

1.82  i  12.20 

1863-64 

7.87 

186- 

1  

1.08 

.19 

1.30 

1.08 

.74 

.09 

none 

.08 

sprin 

.12 

6.72 

7.87    19.27 

1864-65 

22.51 

1865  

4.78 

.71 

.48 

1.37 

.46 

none 

sprin 

none 

.08 

.48 

2.43 

.36 

11.15 

1865-66 

17.93 

186 

5  

7.70 

2.01 

2.02 

.48 

2.25 

.10 

.02 

none 

none 

sprin 

2.43 

9.51 

26.52 

1866-67 

25.30 

1867  

3.44 

7.10 

1.01 

1.80 

.01 

none 

none 

none 

.01 

none 

3.81 

12.85 

30.03 

1867-68 

32.79 

186 

*__._ 

6.04 

3.15 

4.35 

2.31 

.27 

sprin 

none 

hone 

none 

none 

.77 

2.61 

19.50 

1868-69 

16.64 

186 

)___ 

4.79 

3.63 

2.94 

1.24 

.65 

.01 

none 

none 

sprin 

2.12 

.85 

1.96 

18.19 

1869-70 

13.57 

1870  

1.37 

3.24 

1.64 

2.12 

.27 

sprin 

sprin 

sprin 

none 

.02 

.58 

.97 

10.21 

1870-71 

8.47 

187 

1  

2.08 

1.92 

.69 

1.45 

.76 

sprin 

none 

none 

sprin 

.21 

1.22 

10.99 

19.32 

1871-72 

24.05 

1872  

4.04 

4.74 

1.94 

.61 

.28 

.02 

none 

none 

sprin 

.22 

1.93 

5.39 

19.17 

1872-73 

14.21 

187 

J  

1.23 

4.36 

.55 

.51 

none 

sprin 

.02 

sprin 

none 

.31 

1.21 

10.01 

18.20 

1873-74 

22.90 

187 

1  

5.20 

1.86 

3.05 

.89 

.37 

sprin 

sprin 

none 

.05 

2.26 

3.80 

.44 

17.92 

1874-75 

17^70 

1875  

8.70 

.55 

.80 

sprin 

sprin 

1.10 

none 

none 

none 

.44 

6.20 

5.52 

23.31 

1875-76 

26.53 

187 

5  

4.99 

3.75 

4.15 

1.10 

.15 

none 

.21 

.02 

sprin 

3.45 

.30 

none 

18.12 

1876-77 

8.96 

1877  

2.77 

1.04 

.56 

.19 

.64 

.01 

sprin 

sprin 

none 

.73 

1.07 

1.43 

8.44 

1877-78 

24.86 

187 

3  

9.26 

8.04 

3.09 

1.07 

.17 

none 

none 

none 

.29 

.55 

.51 

.47 

23.45 

1878-79 

17.85 

187 

J_'_- 

3.18 

3.88 

4.88 

2.66 

1.30 

.13 

sprin 

sprin 

none 

.88 

2.05 

3.41 

22.37 

1879-80 

26.47 

1880  

1.64 

1.83 

1.70 

14.20 

.76 

none 

sprin 

none 

none 

none 

.05 

11.81 

31.99 

1880-81 

26.57 

188 

1  

6.14 

5.06 

1.37 

1.64 

sprin 

.50 

sprin 

none 

.30 

.55 

1.88 

3.27 

20.71 

1881-82 

16.51 

1882  

1.89 

2.40 

3.78 

1.99 

.35 

.10 

sprin 

none 

.57 

2.63 

3.22 

1.13 

18.06 

1882-83 

18.11 

188 

i  

2.23 

1.11 

3.70 

.67 

2.85 

none 

none 

none 

.90 

.97 

.61 

.44 

13.48 

1883-84 

24.78 

188 

1  

3.43 

4.46 

8.14 

4.32 

.06 

1.45 

none 

sprin 

.60 

2.01 

none 

10.45 

34.92 

1884-85 

16.58 

1885.  

2.16 

.49 

.08 

.68 

sprin 

.11 

sprin 

none 

.08 

.02 

11.34 

5.76 

20.72 

1885-86 

*28.12 

188 

5  

7.95 

.29 

2.68 

Totals  __ 

142.19 

103.46 

107.82 

67.46 

25.72 

4.59 

1.14 

.11 

4.21 

25.80 

79.80 

172.19 

707.07 

705.47 

Av'ges  _ 

3.843 

2.796 

2.913 

1.874 

.714 

.128 

.032 

.003 

.114 

.697 

2.217 

4.654 

19.641 

19.596 

*  Up  to  April  1, 1886. 


37 


RAINFALL   AT   FOLSOM,    SACRAMENTO   COUNTY. 

The  rainfall  data  tabulated  below  is  from  Folsom,  Sacramento  County, 
and  was  furnished  by  J.  H.  Sturgis,  special  River  Observer  of  the  United 
States  Signal  Service  at  that  point.  The  rainfall  is  from  September,  1871,' 
to  March  1,  1886: 


H 

CH 

bj 

J 

t*» 

g 

5-1 

CH 

> 

05 

0 

M 

b 

H 

3= 

X 

8 

0 

p 
g 

1. 

3 

<~ 

& 

% 

i 

g 

1 

g 

I 

P 

1 

1 

>-) 

g 

*-t 

I 

B 
O 

o1 
>-i 

j 

1 

i 

\ 

i 

? 

§ 

1871 

sprin 

.55 

1.95 

13.12 

1871-72 

28.82 

1872__ 

5.50 

4.72 

1.60 

.63 

.75 

sprin 

none 

sprin 

sprin 

.25 

2.80 

6.53 

22.78 

1872-73 

15.70 

1873  

1.64 

4.05 

.34 

.05 

.03 

none 

.01 

sprin 

sprin 

spnn 

1.39 

10.51 

18.02 

1873-74 

24.45 

1874 

5.26 

2.63 

1.82 

2.03 

.81 

sprin 

sprin 

none 

sprin 

1.66 

5.19 

.13 

19.53 

1874-75 

15.70 

1875  _  . 

6.14 

.04 

1.24 

sprin 

.07 

1.23 

none 

none 

none 

.26 

7.12 

4.49 

20.59 

1875-76 

30.53 

1876 

5.89 

4.06 

6.62 

1.56 

.24 

sprin 

.26 

.03 

none 

3.76 

.25 

none 

22.67 

1876-77 

9.90 

1877  __ 

3.38 

.68 

.81 

sprin 

1.02 

spriu 

sprin 

sprin 

none 

.75 

.54 

1.34 

8.52 

1877-78 

25.00 

1878      _ 

8.41 

8.37 

4.23 

1.10 

.26 

none 

none 

sprin 

.12 

.43 

.62 

.56 

24.10 

1878-79 

21.91 

1879 

4.87 

4.94 

5.43 

3.38 

1.44 

.12 

none 

sprin 

none 

1.31 

2.20 

3.19 

26.78 

1879-80 

25.09 

1880       _ 

151 

2.13 

1.40 

11.39 

2.06 

none 

sprin 

none 

none 

sprin 

.10 

9.85 

28.44 

1880-81 

25.91 

1881   _  . 

6.70 

6.07 

1.38 

1.13 

sprin 

.68 

none 

none 

.40 

1.21 

1.57 

3.45 

22.59 

1881-82 

18.28 

1882  _ 

2.38 

3.01 

3.82 

2.51 

.27 

.06 

sprin 

none 

.68 

2.81 

3.95 

.74 

20.23 

1882-83 

22.32 

1883. 

2.11 

.80 

5.46 

1.10 

4.57 

none 

none 

none 

1.82 

1.41 

.81 

.92 

19.00 

1883-84 

31.02 

1884     . 

3.88 

5.92 

8.14 

5.32 

1.16 

1.64 

none 

sprin 

.64 

2.02 

none 

9.13 

37.85 

1884-85 

16.60 

1885  

1.91 

.84 

.15 

1.68 

sprin 

91 

.02 

sprin 

.21 

sprin 

10.91 

4.88 

20.81 

1885-86 

*24.50 

1886 

7  60 

90 

Totals 

67  18 

4916 

4244 

31  88 

1268 

3.94 

.29 

.03 

3.87 

16.32 

39.40 

68.84 

311.91 

311.23 

Av'ges  _ 

4.479 

3.277 

3.031 

2.277 

.906 

.281 

.021 

.002 

.258 

1.088 

2.627 

4.589 

22.279 



22.231 

*  Up  to  March  1,  1886. 


PLACERVILLE,  EL  DORADO  COUNTY. 


The  rainfall  record  at  Placerville,  El  Dorado  County,  was  furnished  by 
Samuel  Hale,  Superintendent  of  the  El  Dorado  Water  and  Deep  Gravel 
Mining  Company,  and  covers  a  period  of  seven  years  and  two  months, 
from  1879  to  March  1, 1886.  Records  were  also  kept  from  February,  1874, 
to  February,  1877.  The  total  for  those  years  was,  for  eleven  months  in 
1874,  33.23  inches;  1875,  44.84  inches;  1876,  39.21  inches;  January  and 
February,  1877,  gave  11.05  inches: 


W 

I 

o" 

I 

w 

1 

CH 
1 

a^ 

i< 

a 
•  "2 

1 

f 

1 

| 

1 

1 

1 

1 

i 

f 

g 

HJ 

1 

B 

1 

c? 

8, 

I 

i 

I 

p 

j 

p 

1879 

3.47 

5.28 

7.53 

1879-80 

59.60 

1880 

4.38 

5.81 

4.66 

17.52 

3.95 

none 

none 

none 

none 

.35 

.58 

16.94 

54.19 

1880-81 

48.04 

1881  

15.53 

7.01 

3.38 

2.36 

spnn 

1.89 

sprin 

none 

1.08 

2.80 

2.87 

7.70 

44.62 

1881-82 

42.46 

1882     __ 

6.71 

5.15 

9.30 

5.53 

1.19 

.13 

sprin 

none 

.93 

5.72 

4.94 

1.98 

41.58 

1882-83 

36.56 

1883  

3.74 

2.58 

6.88 

3.54 

6.25 

none 

sprin 

none 

1.67 

3.38 

1.67 

2.63 

32.34 

1883-84 

57.39 

1884  

6.06 

11.56 

14.46 

11.82 

1.60 

2.51 

sprin 

.03 

.85 

2.47 

.10 

22.65 

74.11 

1884-85 

36.53 

1885  

4.15 

.97 

.33 

3.32 

.27 

1.42 

none 

none 

.55 

none 

15.97 

5.22 

32.20 

1885-86 

*35.92 

1886 

13  03 

1.15 

Totals 

53.60 

34.23 

39.01 

44.09 

13.26 

5.95 

sprin 

.03 

5.08 

18.19 

31.41 

64.65 

279.04 

273.58 

Av'ges 

7.657 

4.890 

6.502 

7.348 

2.21T) 

.992 

sprin 

.005 

.847 

2.599 

4.489 

9.236 

46.501 

45.597 

*  Up  to  March  1, 1886. 


38 


GEORGETOWN,  EL   DORADO   COUNTY. 


The  rainfall  at  Georgetown,  El  Dorado  County,  was  furnished  by  C.  M. 
Fitzgerald,  of  the  California  Water  and  Mining  Company,  and  extends 
from  November,  1872,  to  March  1,  1886: 


i 

5 

1 

* 

! 

P 

e 

B 

| 

J> 

cc 

| 

1 

| 

1 

I 

1 

f 

1 

* 

I 

1 

dD 

1 

1 

c5 

! 

S> 

] 

i 

! 

i 

£ 

I 

j 

! 

i 

j 

3 

1872.. 

4.30 

18.72 

1873  

4.08 

13.05 

3.05 

3.11 

.12 

none 

.03 

none 

none 

.61 

.55 

16.60 

41.20 

1872-73 

46.46 

1874  

16.66 

8.03 

13.87 

5.80 

1.32 

.20 

none 

none 

none 

3.86 

14.60 

1.24 

65.58 

1873-74 

63.64 

1875  

17.87 

.04 

5.07 

.31 

2.03 

2.06 

none 

none 

none 

1.90 

24.12 

10.85 

64.25 

1874-75 

47.08 

1876  

13.09 

9.97 

14.54 

4.78 

1.22 

none 

.77 

none 

none 

11.47 

.80 

none 

56.64 

1875-76 

81.24 

1877  

12.44 

2.14 

7.78 

1.74 

3.87 

.24 

none 

none 

none 

1.03 

4.30 

1.97 

35.51 

1876-77 

40.48 

1878  

16.21 

22.78 

10.92 

2.99 

.99 

.12 

none 

none 

.66 

2.56 

2.66 

.48 

60.37 

1877-78 

61.31 

1879  

11.24 

12.41 

17.57 

9.65 

3.39 

.34 

none 

none 

none 

3.85 

6.25 

11.73 

76.43 

1878-79 

60.96 

1880  

5.47 

6.00 

5.50 

25.63 

5.97 

none 

none 

none 

none 

.18 

.37 

22.67 

71.79 

1879-80 

70.40 

1881  

20.83 

12.85 

3.84 

2.40 

.40 

2.28 

none 

none 

2.02 

4.23 

3.30 

10.32 

62.47 

1880-81 

65.82 

1882  

8.59 

5.88 

10.44 

7.11 

2.06 

.18 

none 

none 

.16 

7.75 

7.00 

3.31 

52.48 

1881-82 

54.13 

1883  

4.70 

3.08 

8.73 

3.87 

7.34 

none 

none 

none 

1.60 

4.10 

1.94 

3.50 

38.86 

1882-83 

45.94 

1884  

7.53 

13.80 

19.94 

15.07 

1.52 

3.65 

none 

.01 

.80 

3.54 

.03 

33.73 

99.62 

1883-84 

72.66 

1885  

4.37 

.82 

.24 

3.98 

.19 

2.28 

.03 

none 

1.16 

none 

20.77 

7.03 

40.87 

1884-85 

50.01 

1886 

18  32 

1  16 

1885-86  *48  44 

Totals 

161.40 

112.01 

12149 

86.44 

3042 

11.35 

.83 

.01 

640 

45  08 

90  99 

42  15 

766  07 

760  13 

Av'ges. 

58.472 

11.529 

8.001 

9.345 

6.649 

2.340 

.873 

.064 

.001 

.492 

3.468 

6.499 

L0.154 

58.928 

*  Up  to  March  1, 


GRASS   VALLEY,  NEVADA   COUNTY. 


The  rainfall  that  goes  to  make  up  the  following  table  for  Nevada  County 
was  taken  at  Grass  Valley  by  Mr.  Loutzenheiser.  It  covers  a  period  of 
twelve  years,  from  1873  to  1885,  inclusive: 


H 

| 

£ 

P 

•o 

P          « 

% 

> 

| 

0 

o1 

b 

sf        ~ 

4 

fi 

i 

§" 

£ 

B 

^ 

a 

fiT 

< 

% 

- 

1 

g^ 

§° 

1 

E 

q 

jj 

&• 

i 

1 

? 

s 

1 

5 

C* 

B 
O 

o1 

i 

, 

i 

! 

I 

1 

| 

| 

I 

i 

B 

1873  

4.01 

12.50      1.39 

2.32 

2.56 

none 

none 

none 

none 

.83 

2.99 

19.01 

45.61 

1872-73 

40.00 

1874  

13.71 

.»;; 

11.71      3.76 

1.05 

.10 

none 

no 

ne 

none 

2.95 

15.91 

1.08 

57.20 

1873-74 

60.09 

1875  

15.56 

1 

39 

4.14  1      .29 

1.18 

2.28 

none 

no 

ne 

none 

.97 

16.99 

7.44 

50.24 

1874-75 

44.78 

1876  

12.01 

10.75 

12.47 

2.80 

1.23 

.65 

none 

none 

.06 

8.72 

.62 

none 

49.31 

1875-76  i  65.31 

1877  

10.18 

2 

.44 

4.79 

1.14 

1.40 

.74 

none 

no 

lie 

none 

1.21 

3.78 

1.74 

27.42 

1876-77 

30.09 

1878.  

15.74 

17.76 

10.18 

2.78 

.59 

none 

none 

none 

.68 

2.09 

2.54 

.75 

53.11 

1877-78 

53.78 

1879  

10.72 

11 

.51 

18.07 

7.08 

3.08 

.30 

none 

(IS 

none 

2.79 

6.54 

8.86 

69.03 

1878-79 

56.82 

1880  

6.40 

4 

.S3 

4.07 

23-.31 

6.23 

.09 

none 

no 

ne 

none 

.04 

.30 

22.69 

67.96 

1879-80 

63.20 

1881  

19.20 

8.50 

3.33 

1.85 

.05 

1.50 

none 

none 

1.25 

3.71 

3.52 

8.21 

51.12 

1880-81 

57.46 

1882  

6.03 

6 

30 

7.96 

5.27 

1.18 

.50 

none 

no 

ne 

1.88 

7.88 

4.78 

2.83 

44.61 

1881-82 

43.93 

1883  

3.05 

2 

.!»; 

9.25 

2.38 

5.77 

none 

none 

no 

ne 

1.44 

3.03 

1.48 

2.31 

31.68 

1882-83 

40.70 

1884  

7.80 

10.27 

13.98 

10.98 

1.00 

2.30 

none 

none 

.98 

3.30 

.05 

28.39 

79.05 

1883-84 

54.59 

1885  

3.65 

1 

.19 

.83 

3.17 

.16 

.90 

none 

no 

ne 

2.65 

none 

19.27 

6.36 

38.75 

1884-85 

43.19 

1886  

12.40 

1 

.43 

1885-86  *42.11 

Totals. 

_                        .  _  | 

140.46 

99.34 

102.17    67.13 

25.48 

9.36 

none 

.08 

8.94 

37.52  1  78.77 

109.67  j  665.09 

653  94 

Av'ges 

10.033 

7.096 

7.859 

5.164 

1.960 

.720 

none 

.006 

.688 

2.886    6.059 

8.436 

51.161 

50303 

*Upto  March  1,1886. 


39 


WEST   BUTTE,  SUTTER    COUNTY. 

The  report  of  rainfall  at  West  Butte,  Sutter  County,  was  furnished  by  A. 
S.  Noyes,  and  covers  a  period  of  six  years  and  two  months,  from  November. 
1879,  to  December,  1885,  inclusive: 


I 

1 
g 

1 

I 

i 

| 

5 

8 

g 

0 

CR 

c 

f 

f 

3 

| 

2 

re 
3 

1 

1 

3 

E 

J 

| 

§r  . 

i 

I 

1 

o5 

o 

| 

\ 

\ 

\ 

1 

I 

1879 

2.38 

225 

1879-80 

13.25 

1880  

.62 

.75 

.75 

5.88 

.62 

none 

none 

none 

none 

none 

none 

5.38 

14.00 

1880-81 

12.20 

1881  

3.69 

1.38 

.75 

1.00 

none 

none 

none 

none 

.31 

1.12 

.38 

2.00 

10.63 

1881-82 

12.26 

1882  

1.88 

2.31 

2.57 

1.19 

.50 

none 

none 

none 

.25 

.88 

2.62 

.25 

12.45 

1882-83 

12.44 

1883  

.75 

.19 

3.06 

.88 

3.56 

none 

none 

none 

.62 

.81 

none 

.19 

10.06 

1883-84 

19.80 

1884_  

3.81 

2.12 

6.50 

3.75 

.25 

1.75 

none 

none 

.57 

i.no 

none 

4.94 

24.69 

1884-85 

12.13 

1885  

2.00 

.50 

.37 

2.12 

.18 

.45 

none 

none 

.18 

.56 

7.45 

3.65 

17.46 

1885-86 

*17.29 

1886 

475 

70 

Totals 

17  50 

7  95 

1400 

1482 

511 

2  20 

1  93 

437 

12  83 

18  66 

89  29 

82  08 

Av'ges 

2.500 

1.136 

2.333 

2.470 

.852 

.367 

none 

none 

.322 

.728 

1.833 

2.666 

14.882 

13.680 

*Up  to  March  I,  1886. 


MARYSVILLE,  YUBA   COUNTY. 


The  rainfall  from  Marysville  covers  a  period  of  three  years,  and  was  fur- 
nished by  J.  S.  Dallam,  Special  River  Observer  for  the  United  States  Sig- 
nal Service  at  that  point: 


R1 

* 

tt 

> 

3 

(H 
a 

CH 

> 

% 

g 

g 

t) 

H 

| 

c 

P 

I 

I 

3. 

^ 

g 

CT 

S 

§ 

I 

< 

g 

t 

i 

P 

J 

1 

cr 

I 

1 

1 

3 

1 

K{ 

o 

o5 

| 

i 

! 

| 

f 

8 

1882 

99 

242 

2  84 

1  31 

1882-83 

2012 

1883  

1.64 

.61 

3.72 

.98 

5.61 

none 

none 

none 

.53 

1.29 

.94 

.54 

15.86 

1883-84 

23.47 

1884  

3.93 

3.84 

6.04 

4.14 

.16 

2.06 

none 

none 

.48 

2.32 

.03 

7.64 

30.64 

1884-85 

13.84 

1885  

1.82 

.43 

.27 

.61 

.02 

.22 

none 

none 

.30 

none 

9.90 

4.87 

18.44 

1885-86 

*21.28 

1886  ___ 

5.73 

.48 

Totals. 

13.12 

5.36 

10.03 

5.73 

5.79 

2.28 

none 

none 

2.30 

6.03 

13.71 

14.36 

64.94 



57.43 

Av'ges. 

3.280 

1.340 

3.343 

1.910 

1.930 

.760 

none 

none 

.575 

1.508 

3.428 

3.765 

21.647 



19.143 

*  Up  to  March  1,  1886. 


OROVILLE. 


The  rainfall  for  Oroville  was  furnished  by  Mr.  Hiram  Arents,  Signal 
vice  Observer  at  that  place,  from  September,  1884,  to  January,  1886: 


Ser- 


1 

«-l 
JO 

<^ 

*4 

§• 

1 

K 

1 

> 
v 
2. 

| 

1 

CH 

5 

CB 

g 

<|T 

August  _ 

September  

1 

November  

December  

Total  for  Year__ 

Season  of  

j  Total  for  Season. 

1884     _ 

2  27 

208 

05 

9  33 

*13  73 

1885  
1886     _ 

2.10 
6.13 

.73 
.36 

.25 

1.64 

.65 

.39 

sprin 

none 

.20 

sprin 

11.27 

5.53 

22.76 

1884-85 
1885-86 

19.13 
|2349 

Totals  . 

8.23 

1.09 

.25 

1.64 

.65 

.39 

sprin 

none 

2.47 

2.08 

11.32 

14.86 

22.76 



19.13 

Av'ges. 

4.115 

.545 

.250 

1.640 

.650 

.390 

sprin 

none 

1.235 

1.040 

5.660 

7.430 

22.760 

19.130 

*  Total  for  September,  October,  November,  and  December,  1884.        f  Up  to  March  1, 1886. 


40 


COLUSA,   COLUSA   COUNTY. 

The  rainfall,  etc.,  from  Colusa,  Colusa  County,  was  furnished  by  J.  D. 
McNary,  Special  River  Observer  at  that  point.  The  table  gives  the  rain- 
fall by  seasons  from  1872-73  to  March  1,  1886,  and  by  months  only  from 
1881  to  date: 


H 

1 

£ 

tt 

> 

g 

B 

jg 

> 

$ 

O 

o 

0 

H 

| 

H 

* 

i 

i 

g. 

^ 

.1 

^ 

1 

i 
§ 

1 

2 

E 

§ 

i 

% 

| 

f 

3 

* 

I 

5 

1 

• 

! 

j 

! 

9 

G 

I 

! 

! 

! 

j-i 

f 

B 

1872      . 

1873 

1872-73 

33  46 

1874     _ 

1873-74 

11.28 

1875  

1  874-75 

1902 

1876 

1875-76 

19  79 

1877  

1876-77 

920 

1878 

1877-78 

33  34 

1879     __ 

1878-79 

13.98 

1880_ 

1879-80 

19  21 

1881  

3.70 

2.27 

.60 

1.42 

.34 

none 

none 

none 

1.19 

none 

.43 

2.51 

12.46 

1880-81 

16.96 

1882  

1.51 

2.56 

2.50 

1.27 

.04 

.65 

none 

none 

.23 

1.19 

1.73 

.69 

12.37 

1881-82 

22.62 

1883  

1.07 

.37 

2.36 

.79 

3.23 

none 

none 

none 

.68 

.68 

.11 

.10 

9,39 

1882-83 

11.66 

1884  

4.82 

2.30 

5.70 

2.97 

.12 

2.88 

none 

none 

.59 

1.06 

none 

5.30 

25.74 

1883-84 

29.75 

1885  

2.04 

.58 

.35 

1.22 

none 

.55 

none 

none 

.02 

.79 

7.69 

3.98 

17.22 

1884-85 

11.69 

1886 

457 

20 

1885-86 

*17  25 

Totals  __ 

17.71 

8.28 

11.51 

7.67 

3.73 

4.08 

none 

none 

2.71 

3.72 

9.96 

12.58 

77.18 

251.16 

Av'ges 

2.952 

1.380 

2302 

1  534 

746 

816 

5  42 

744 

1  992 

2  516 

15  436 

19  320 

*  Up  to  March  1, 1886. 


PRINCETON,   COLUSA    COUNTY. 


The  record  of  rainfall  at  Princeton,  Colusa  County,  was  furnished  by 
David  Bently,  voluntary  observer  of  the  Signal  Service,  United  States  Army, 
and  covers  a  period  of  eleven  years  and  two  months,  from  1875  to  March 
1,  1886: 


J 

P 

£ 

M 

*—  • 

t 

1-1 
c 

JH 

te 

f 

0 

bl 

b 

3 

n 

H 

E 

| 

3 

1 

5 

c 

vT 

1 

1r 

o' 

a 

« 

| 

i 

» 

r 

5 

1 

^ 

[ 

1 

1 

1 

B 

c1 

B 

2, 

c"' 

1 

! 

p 

!"* 

! 

^ 

^D 

i 

j 

[ 

] 

1 

i 

| 

! 

1 

i' 

I 

| 

1  • 

B 

1875  

4.30 

.15 

.30 

none 

.05 

1.75 

none 

none 

none 

.75 

1.95 

1.85 

11.10 

1875-76 

17.18 

1876___ 

2.53 

4.40 

3.50 

1.05 

.15 

.05 

.90 

.05 

.15 

4.60 

.40 

none 

17.78 

1876-77 

10.20 

1877_  _ 

1.65 

1.75 

.85 

none 

.20 

.30 

.30 

none 

none 

.98 

1.63 

1.48 

9.14 

1877-78 

27.12 

1878.  _ 

10.43 

7.64 

2.28 

1.01 

.65 

none 

none 

1.02 

.20 

.50 

.96 

.13 

24.82 

1878-79 

10.73 

1879.  _ 

1.83 

1.71 

2.44 

1.61 

1.10 

.12 

none 

.13 

none 

.07 

1.91 

2.81 

13.73 

1879-80 

13.27 

1880_  _ 

.95 

.90 

.95 

4.93 

.75 

none 

none 

none 

none 

none 

.10 

6.85 

15.43 

1880-81 

15.54 

1881  

4.30 

1.78 

.83 

1.15 

.10 

.43 

none 

none 

.60 

.60 

.22 

2.51 

12.52 

1881-82 

11.09 

1882  

1.21 

2.54 

1.53 

1.08 

.28 

.52 

none 

none 

.18 

1.71 

2.42 

.62 

12.09 

1882-83 

12.05 

1883  

.65 

.23 

2.35 

1.07 

2.82 

none 

none 

none 

.58 

.64 

.10 

.14 

8.58 

1883-84 

17.78 

1884  

4.03 

2.35 

5.06 

2.71 

.05 

2.12 

none 

none 

1.13 

1.10 

none 

6.03 

24.58 

1884-85 

12.19 

1885  

1.66 

.57 

.21 

.98 

.36 

.15 

none 

none 

.12 

.60 

7.21 

4.78 

16.64 

1885-86 

*16.79 

1886 

3.91 

.17 

Totals  __ 

37.45 

24.19 

20.30 

15.59 

6.51 

5.44 

1.20 

1.20 

2.96 

11.55 

16.90 

27.20 

166.41 

147.15 

Av'ges  _ 

3.121 

2.016 

1.845 

1,417 

.592 

.495 

.109 

.109 

.269 

1.050 

1.536 

2.473 

15.128 

14.715 

*  Up  to  March  1, 1886. 


41 


RED  BLUFF,  TEHAMA  COUNTY. 

This  table  is  made  up  from  the  Signal  Service  records,  and  shows  the 
total  rainfall  for  each  calendar  year  from  1878  to  December  31,  1885,  and 
the  rainfall  by  seasons  from  1877-78  to  March  1,  1886;  also  the  totals 
for  each  month,  with  the  averages  from  the  opening  of  the  Signal  Office 
on  July  1,  1877,  to  date: 


K<  

CH 

—  S  — 

~ 

~ 

j^ 

CH 

CH 

j^ 

02 

Q 

M 

H 

M 

¥ 

H 

| 

P 

3 

| 

3 

1 

1 

r 

«§• 

(= 

i. 

§° 

o 

i 

§ 

I 

i 

a 

P 

d 

H— 

OQ 

g 

B 

i 

B 

i 

sq 

5 

j 

I 

^ 

1 

s* 

0 

] 

r 

i 

H 

i      ' 

i 

i 

i 

P 

1877 

05 

,03 

none 

1.35 

3.13 

3.98 

1878  _  _ 

20.71 

16.66 

4.16 

2.21 

.89 

none 

none 

none 

.42 

1.56 

1.66 

.69 

48.96 

1877-78 

53.09 

1879 

3.18 

3.67 

5.39 

2.12 

2.18 

.30 

.04 

.28 

sprin 

.48 

6.05 

9.95 

33.64 

1878-79 

21.49 

1880  - 

2.01 

1.66 

1.70 

7.05 

1.04 

none 

none 

none 

none 

.08 

,14 

12.85 

26.53 

1879-80 

29.94 

1881 

9.40 

2.79 

.51 

1.83 

.79 

.51 

sprin 

none 

1.07 

1.61 

.73 

5.69 

24.93 

1880-81 

28.90 

1882 

2.81 

3.94 

2.67 

2.12 

.33 

.15 

none 

none 

.49 

2.80 

5.07 

1.44 

21.82 

1881-82 

21.12 

1883     ' 

.87 

.39 

2.60 

1.96 

2.96 

none 

none 

none 

1.04 

2.68 

.74 

.52 

13.76 

1882-83 

.18.58 

1884 

3.55 

2.21 

7.81 

4.31 

.18 

.97 

none 

none 

.36 

.90 

.04 

7.73 

28.06 

1883-84 

24.01 

1885  

1.84 

1.19 

sprin 

.62 

.64 

1.37 

.05 

none 

2.91 

.10 

17.05 

3.90 

29.67 

1884-85 

14.74 

1886 

4  80 

18 

1885-86 

*28.94 

Totals 

49  17 

3-7  (59 

24  84 

22  22 

9  01 

330 

14 

31 

629 

11  56 

34.61 

46.75 

227.37 

211.87 

A  v 

5  463 

3  632 

3  105 

2  778 

1  126 

412 

016 

034 

699 

1284 

3846 

5194 

28.421 

26.484 

° 

*  Up  to  March  1,  1886. 


YREKA,  SISKIYOU   COUNTY. 


The  rainfall  data  extending  from  April,  1872,  to  December,  1884,  was 
furnished  by  the  late  Mr.  L.  Autenreith,  of  Yreka.  The  record  for  1885, 
January  and  February,  1886,  are  from  Mr.  C.  H.  Pyle,  of  Yreka: 


M 

CH 

* 

g 

t» 

£ 

CH 
C 

CH 

C 

V 

i 

0 

!z! 

t) 

H 

t» 

9 

P 

P 

op 

3 

^ 

1 

O 

crq 

*%• 

g" 

I 

3- 

| 

5- 

1 

ci 

t? 

*-"* 

i 

2 

(ST 

3 

p 

jr 

I 

P 

r 

1 

0* 

o 

| 

i 

i 

| 

1 

§ 

1872 

24 

44 

14 

25 

1  55 

143 

3.72 

1873.  II 

1.28 

1.77 

.40 

.90 

.60 

none 

none 

none 

.44 

.55 

1.17 

2.20 

9.31 

1872-73 

11.90 

1874  -  _ 

3.78 

1.62 

1.49 

.74 

.34 

.44 

none 

none 

none 

1.29 

2.16 

none 

11.86 

1873-74 

12.77 

1875_     _ 

4.35 

.19 

1.23 

.17 

.51 

.30 

.07 

none 

Hone 

3.34 

5.29 

6.07 

21.52 

1874-75 

19.27 

1876_     _ 

2.00 

1.93 

2.07 

.42 

.65 

.20 

.32 

.19 

.90 

3.05 

.43 

.26 

12.42 

1875-76 

22.48 

1877  

1.20 

3.24 

1.48 

.74 

1.56 

.65 

.18 

none 

none 

.20 

3.64 

.95 

13.84 

1876-77 

13.69 

1878_     _ 

6.12 

3.91 

2.80 

.37 

.56 

none 

.35 

.40 

.45 

.25 

1.15 

.45 

16.81 

1877-78 

19.30 

1879  

1.53 

1.41 

3.96 

1.56 

1.42 

.39 

.22 

.15 

none 

.77 

2.32 

723 

20.96 

1878-79 

T2.94 

1880  

2.43 

.61 

1.20 

2.23 

.41 

none 

.15 

none 

none 

.13 

.10 

2.42 

9.68 

1879-80 

17.35 

1881 

11.78 

2.58 

.19 

1.48 

none 

1.65 

.59 

.26 

.30 

3.24 

.68 

1.60 

23.35 

1880-81 

20.18 

1882  

1.81 

1.96 

.42 

'1.20 

1.02 

none 

none 

none 

.90 

1.88 

1.89 

2.09 

13.17 

1881-82 

1223 

1883_ 

1.38 

.47 

.53 

1.26 

1.76 

none 

.33 

.25 

.33 

1.35 

.66 

2.95 

11.27 

1882-83 

12.74 

1884      . 

2.10 

1.20 

2.44 

1.41 

1.40 

1.78 

1.33 

.51 

.33 

none 

.79 

6.19 

29.48 

1883-84 

17.46 

1885     __ 

1.16 

2.94 

none 

1.12 

3.65 

1.66 

.58 

none 

.49 

.29 

6.98 

2.10 

20.97 

1884-85 

18.42 

1886 

403 

.91 

1885-86 

*14.80 

Totals 

44  95 

2474 

18  21 

12  84 

1432 

7  07 

4  26 

1  76 

439 

17  89 

28  69 

38  23 

20464 

201.73 

3  211 

1  767 

1  401 

917 

1  023 

505 

326 

126 

.314 

1  278 

2.049 

2  731 

15742 

15.515 

*  Up  to  March  1, 1886. 


42 


SCOTT   VALLEY,    SISKIYOU    COUNTY. 

The  rainfall  for  Scott  Valley,  Siskiyou  County,  was  tabulated  from  the 
observations  taken  by  Mr.  Isaac  Titcomb,  of  Scott  Valley,  near  Fort  Jones: 


? 

SB 

C" 

S 

£ 

1 

g 
a 

g 

d 
crq 

in 
•o 

§ 

fc| 

| 

g 

1 

g 

i 

I 

jr 

* 

i 

o 

e 

1 

if 

1 

1 

^ 

0 

£J 

; 

5 

! 

r 

1 

I 

B 

o 
j 

o 

! 

| 

| 

| 

| 

| 

r 

| 

1 

1859 

.50 

.87 

1.00 

4.33 

.75 

1859-60 

20.28 

1860  

2.59 

1.26 

4.12 

.75 

2.00 

.50 

1.62 

.24 

.49 

2.22 

2.00 

5.74 

23.52 

1860-61 

20.65 

1861  __ 

1.12 

2.50 

2.50 

3.00 

.54 

.30 

none 

none 

none 

.51 

11.56 

10.63 

32.66 

1861-62 

40.96 

1862  

9.29 

3.75 

1.32 

2.00 

1.00 

.80 

.10 

none 

.02 

.15 

.12 

1.90 

20.45 

1862-63 

15.72 

1863  

4.75 

1.75 

2.45 

2.00 

.40 

1.93 

.25 

.09 

.40 

.25 

1.85 

6.17 

22.29 

1863-64 

15.60 

1864  __ 

2.07 

.43 

.82 

2.70 

.51 

.31 

none 

.03 

.04 

.31 

6.00 

12.75 

26.57 

1864-65 

26.77 

1865  

1.87 

2.40 

1.30 

.32 

.05 

.75 

.35 

.02 

1.15 

1.33 

9.79 

1.21 

20.54 

1865-66 

35.65 

1866  ___ 

6.59 

3.50 

9.20 

.02 

1.72 

.62 

.50 

.47 

none 

.08 

2.51 

11.75 

36.96 

1866-67 

28.38 

1867  

9.12 

2.02 

.64 

1.34 

.44 

.01 

none 

.26 

.40 

.88 

1.75 

9.68 

•26.54 

1867-68 

23.61 

1868  

3.06 

1.50 

3.70 

.1.14 

.18 

1.06 

none 

none 

.06 

.50 

.77 

2.80 

14.77 

1868-69 

18.29 

1869  __ 

5.76 

1.13 

1.32 

3.61 

1.52 

.69 

.13 

none 

1.00 

.01 

3.04 

3.56 

21.77 

1869-70 

19.87 

1870  

5.00 

2.91 

1.73 

1.37 

1.12 

.13 

none 

none 

.01 

.02 

1.00 

3.50 

16.79 

1870-71 

13.91 

1871  

1.86 

2.47 

1.62 

2.27 

.55 

.26 

.35 

none 

.37 

.05 

1.62 

7.68 

19.10 

1871-72 

22.87 

1872  

4.18 

6.94 

1.40 

.34 

.25 

.03 

.01 

.01 

.41 

.16 

2.67 

338 

19.78 

1872-73 

13.84 

1873  __. 

1.33 

3.00 

1.05 

1.50 

.27 

.03 

.03 

.05 

.37 

.94 

1.71 

4.49 

14.77 

1873-74 

21.79 

1874  __ 

6.38 

1.80 

3.65 

1.55 

.71 

.13 

.01 

.09 

none 

1.55 

4.33 

.43 

20.63 

1874-75 

13.09 

1875  

3.13 

.17 

1.79 

.35 

.75 

.12 

.38 

.05 

none 

4.45 

7.31 

7.33 

25.83 

1875-76 

31.09 

1876  

2.26 

3.33 

3.94 

.71 

1.19 

.18 

.34 

1.00 

1.02 

3.75 

.54 

.01 

18.27 

1876-77 

18.90 

1877  

1.71 

4.23 

3.10 

1.23 

1.48 

.71 

.12 

.02 

.01 

.45 

.67 

1.62 

15.35 

1877-78 

23.36 

1878  ___ 

9.72 

6.53 

3.74 

.27 

.20 

.12 

.01 

.06 

.36 

2.81 

2.16 

1.14 

27.12 

1878-79 

26.42 

1879  __ 

3.25 

3.54 

8.39 

2.66 

1.40 

.27 

.38 

.47 

.11 

.81 

4.64 

4.58 

30.50 

1879-80 

33.30 

1880  

10.62 

2.32 

2.65 

5.39 

1.32 

.02 

.37 

.07 

none 

.18 

.32 

6.76 

30.02 

1880-81 

31.54 

1881  

13.95 

6.53 

.79 

1.19 

.17 

1.04 

.54 

.04 

.76 

3.53 

2.40 

4.60 

35.54 

1881-82 

30.03 

1882  

4.48 

5.69 

2.22 

2.45 

1.29 

08 

2.49 

none 

1.44 

2.86 

2.72 

3.75 

29.47 

1882-83 

22.27 

1883  

2.58 

1.51 

1.11 

3.25 

2.65 

none 

.40 

.63 

.66 

2.41 

1.11 

4.75 

21.06 

1883-84 

27.63 

1884  __. 

4.28 

3.14 

3.45 

3.06 

1.65 

.87 

1.62 

.01 

.60 

1.04 

.16 

8.18 

28.06 

1884-85 

22.03 

1885  

2.50 

3.49 

.11 

1.98 

1.40 

1.40 

1.16 

.01 

.83 

.53 

10.24 

3.26 

26.91 

1885-86 

*23.40 

1886 

7.22 

1.32 

Totals  _ 



130.67 

79.20 

68.  ir  46.45 

24.76 

12.36 

11.16 

4.72 

11.38 

32.78 

87.32 

132.40 

625.27 

617.85 

Av'ges  _ 

4.840 

2.933 

2.620 

1.787 

.952 

.475 

.429 

.175 

.421 

1.214    3.234 

4.937 

24.049          

23.763 

i 

*  Up  to  March  1, 1886. 


RAINFALL  BY  SEASONS  FROM  POWAY  TO  FORT  JONES. 

fc 

The  following  table  shows  the  rainfall  by  seasons — making  a  brief  sum- 
mary of  the  rainfall  at  twenty-two  different  points  in  this  State,  extending 
from  San  Diego  to  Siskiyou,  and  from  San  Francisco  to  Georgetown: 


43 


[      ]                            1C  t)  CO'  OO'  O5  O  O 

og 

3 

2 

3 
O 

a 

3 
5* 

- 

-> 

-^ 

2  o  ^  cs  P-^  tj  oc  t-  o>4  ic  <R  en  rH  q 
oo  io  ic  o  co  co  t-^  •*'  o>  en  •*  jc  co  rH 

'"' 

0 

Los  Angeles  

•^CO'i-HtdiCr-4i—  OC.OC3CNCOC355O 

1 

1 

i     3§s^^^  i  i  : 

CO 
1C 

1C 

co' 
co' 

j       S^S*00  |  !  ! 

Salinas 

Ippl|l!||ll3 

I 

San  Francisco  

C 
J 

r-'  y. 

cs 
? 

!_- 

? 

8 

11 

t-  O  !>•  OC 

oa  q  &\  c 

d 
c 

s 

§ 
? 

o 

? 

2 

s 

~ 

? 

^ 

- 

-+ 

CO  CO'  C>  r4  rH  1C  -*'  SO  C5  SO  O  Ol'  00  "C 
rHOjT-HCOi-HCO(N<M<NrH(MCOr-H(M 

1 

o 

co' 

(M 

Oakland 

S 

J 

i 

ICOt^iCCOCOiC^^COCNIOfNCO 

i  q  2  S  ^  ^'  el  S  2  ^'  S  -•  ^  ^ 

1 

1 

Sacramento  

S 

f 

2 

1 

cb 
00 

rH 

8 

§o  o  o  co  t- 
_  O  rH  1C  1C  CO 

£ 
* 

s 

s 

g 

7 

3 

f? 

y^ 

TC 

OC 

§3lglll§§Sis§l3 

1 

05 

rH(M         CO 

•i— 

Folsom  City  

c2^^^|i85?§53Sg?§|| 

co 
" 

1 

Shingle  Springs  

§ 

7" 
i- 

o  t— 

iq  ic 
01  1- 

co  -* 

S 

O 
C 

li 

CT 
— 
r— 

5 

g.l 

'X   CC 
'M  C- 

i 

t- 

Illll 

;             :     i  i  i  !g 
i             i  i  i  i  i  is. 

1 

1 

Placerville 

ill 

q 

1 

Georgetown  

5 

OOfM^COO^OOrHOCOO^ 

CO 

i 

1 

S^g^C8^i8S;8l2g58 

Grass  Valley  

1 

i 

Marysville 

1    !  o  co  co  -- 

1      |  CM  Ol  rH  (M 

1 

3 

West  Butte     

|               co'  CM'  oi  c-i  cs  oi  t^ 

q 
gg 

1 

Colusa  

I 

3 

Ol~-CMCOC5GMC5COOt*CCCM 

!O 

i 

OJ 

Princeton 

i^  d  t-^  d  co'  ic  r-  :>i  t^  <M'  so 

s 

J- 

a 

Red  Bluff.      

. 

2 

1 

Reed's  Camp  

1111  i  1 

SO 

1 

<N 
t- 

Weaverville  

:s^ 

g 

5 

|i 

1 

1 

i? 

1- 

r 

CO 

1C 

Yreka  _  __  _ 

O<MCOC5<Nl-O<M;Nt~00^< 

s 

iC 

Scott  Valley  

111 

i 

1- 

i 

3 
g 

?8  s 

3£ 

g 

:/• 

x 

cr 

? 

r- 

S3 

71  r- 
C-l  i- 

s 

r- 

co  I-H  cc  -~  --~  :t  —  ~  7-i  t~  oi  co 

rHCOrH(M«MC?COCO(N(M!M!>l 

t- 

SO 

1 

i 

n 

H 

I 

Q 

;; 

k 

11 

•i 

•; 

|       | 

1 

^ 

5 

II 

x.  r 

3 
'; 

|      |      |      |             |      I      I      I      I 

H      •< 

1 

O  ~ 

•dt  li 
i*  ir 
x  y 

"85-1581 
"15-9681 

1859-60- 
1860-61- 
1861-62- 
isr,9  M 

1803-64- 
i  Sfi4_ftr, 

'Slt'SJo1 

0  S  CO  CO  =C 
00  CO  CO  00  OC 

44 


RAINFALL  NEAR  SANTA  BARBARA. 


The  climatic  conditions  of  Southern  California  not  being  so  well  known 
as  the  same  conditions  are  in  the  central  and  northern  portions  of  our  State, 
I  take  pleasure  in  appending  a  letter  from  Mr.  Ellwood  Cooper,  living  at 
Ellwood,  near  Santa  Barbara,  Santa  Barbara  County,  written  to  General 
W.  B.  Hazen,  Chief  Signal  Officer  of  the  Army,  Washington  City,  D.  C., 
as  giving  accurate  data  on  the  varying  condition  of  the  weather  since  1870. 
The  letter  is  as  follows: 

SANTA  BARBARA,  Cal.,  December  12,  1885. 
Brigadier  General  Hazen,  Washington,  D.  C.: 

DEAR  SIR:  My  last  report  to  your  department  was  partially  published  in  the  weather 
review  of  April"  1884.  [The  same  will  be  found  appended  to  this  letter. — SERGEANT  BAR- 
WICK.]  That  report  gave  the  rainfall  from  1870  to  and  including  that  of  the  Winter  of 
1883-84.  The  rainfall  of  1884  and  1885  was  12.56  inches;  9.12  inches  falling  from  October 
eighth  to  December  thirty-first,  and  3.86  inches  falling  from  January  first  to  May. 

From  my  letter  containing  the  information  given  in  the  report,  as  stated  above,  I  laid 
down  the  theory  that  during  the  Winters  when  we  had  heavy  rains  before  January  first, 
we  were  likely  to  have  light  rains  after  January  first.  In  support  of  this  I  called  your 
attention  to  the  Winters  of  1871-2, 1878-9,  and  1880-1.  I  have  now  to  add  the  rainfall  of  the 
past  Winter,  demonstrating  the  same  condition  as  the  three  Winters  above  alluded  to.  I 
also  wrote  in  said  communication  that  during  the  Spring  of  1884  we.  had  a  series  of 
warm  south  winds,  which  caused  the  unprecedented  rainfall  of  that  season,  and  that 
since  my  sojourn  in  the  country,  from  1870  down  to  that  time,  that  the  wind  had  not 
blown  one  single  hour  steadily  from  that  quarter.  In  my  theories  there  laid  down  and  (  ?) 
the  statement  that  by  close  observation  we  could,  to  a  certain  extent,  foretell  the  probable 
rainfall  each  Winter.  I  now  beg  to  call  your  attention  to  the  storm  of  November  last, 
commencing  the  fifteenth  and  ending  the  night  of  the  twenty -fourth.  There  is  no  record 
of  so  much  rain  falling  in  any  year,  since  records  have  been  kept,  in  the  month  of  Novem- 
ber. A  very  warm  wind  blew  from  the  southeast  (more  southerly  than  easterly),  and 
part  of  the  time  due  south,  the  wind  on  two  different  days  and  nights  amounting  to  a 
gale;  many  of  my  fruit  trees  were  uprooted,  some  broken  square  .off  above  the  ground. 
This  storni  commenced  apparently  without  any  preparation.  In  Los  Angeles  County,  20 
miles  from  the  sea,  there  were  no  violent  winds.  I  am  therefore  convinced  that  there 
must  have  been  a  strong  wind  blowing  from  the  Gulf  of  California  some  time  previous  to 
the  commencement  of  the  storm  here. 

Our  usual  southeast  storms  cross  the  country  north  of  Fort  Yuma,  giving  at  San  Diego 
about  one  third  as  much  rain  as  at  Santa  Barbara.  The  storm  of  November  just  passed, 
the  greatest  amount  of  rain  was  condensed  between  the  first  and  second  ranges  of  moun- 
tains. At  the  base  of  the  Sierra  Madre  there  were  7  inches ;  at  Newhall,  9  inches ;  in  the 
Ajai  Valley,  15  inches;  in  the  Santa  Inez  Valley,  back  of  Santa  Barbara,  19  inches;  and  at 
San  Luis  Obispo,  22  to  24  inches.  On  the  night  of  the  17th,  9  inches  of  rain  fell  in  a  few 
hours  at  the  latter  place;  in  the  town  of  Los  Angeles,  6  inches;  Santa  Barbara,  9  inches; 
at  Ellwood  (my  home),  10  inches;  at  the  south  base  of  the  Santa  Inez  Range,  Glen  Annie, 
there  were  14  inches;  while  at  the  base,  on  the  north  side,  there  were  19  inches.  This 
warm  wind,  blowing  from  the  mouth  of  the  Gulf  of  California,  was  kept  westward  of  the 
high  range  on  the  peninsula,  and  carried  directly  over  the  first  ranges  from  San  Pedro  to 
Point  Conception.  On  reaching  the  second  ranges,  was  met  by  the  cold  northwest  trades, 
condensed,  and  hence  the  greatest  precipitation  in  the  valleys  back  from  the  coast.  In 
the  Paso  Robles  country  there  was  not  much  rain,  probably  (from  the  reports),  about  4 
inches.  We  have  had  up  to  date,  since  October  15,  10.37  inches  of  rain;  and,  according  to 
my  theory,  we  must  not  expect  very  much  more  after  January  first.  I  do  not  predict/but 
the  fact  that  every  Winter  since  1870  that  gave  us  8  inches  or  more  before  January  first. 
gave  but  little  after  January  first.  This  very  strong  probability  should  put  farmers  and 
fruit  growers  on  their  guard,  and  they  should  lose  no  time  in  preparing  for  such  an  alter- 
native. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  your  obedient  servant, 

ELLWOOD  COOPER. 

Since  the  receipt  of  the  above,  Mr.  Cooper  has  furnished  General  Hazen 
the  following  summary: 

The  review  of  the  rainfall  for  1870  to  date  establishes  thus  far  one 
unvarying  rule,  and  that  is,  that  in  all  our  rain  season,  when  there  has 
been  more  than  half  our  Winter  average  of  rain  before  January  first,  we 


45 


have  had  less  after  January  first,  in  the  ratio  or  proportion  as  the  amount 
before  was  greater.     For  example: 


, 

PRECIPITATION. 

Before  January  1. 

After  January  1. 

Total  for  Season. 

1871-72                                        -     

8.50  inches. 

7.44  inches. 

15.88  inches. 

1878-79                                                   

8.12  inches. 

6.38  inches. 

14.50  inches. 

1880-81 

13.50  inches. 

3.06  inches. 

16.56  inches. 

1884  85 

9.12  inches. 

3.44  inches. 

12.56  inches. 

1885 

13  44  inches. 

While  I  do  not  pretend  to  know  or  to  predict  how  much  more  rain  we 
will  have  before  the  end  of  Spring,  the  above  table  should  warn  every 
farmer  and  fruit  grower  of  the  necessity  of  preparing  their  wrork  with  the 
expectation  of  having  but  little  more.  The  season  thus  far  for  the  cultiva- 
tor is  the  best  we  have  had  in  sixteen  years,  and  any  failure  in  crops  will 
be  the  result  of  neglect  on  the  part  of  the  farmer. 

SANTA  BARBARA,  California,  December  31,  1885. 

The  following  is  the  report  spoken  of  in  Mr.  Cooper's  letter  that  he  had 
furnished  in  April,  1884.  The  table  has  been  brought  down  to  December 
31.  1885: 


SEASON  OF — 


PRECIPITATION. 


Before  January  1. 

After  January  1. 

Total  for  Season. 

1870-71  

3.00  inches. 

6.00  inches. 

9.00  inches. 

1871  72 

8  50  inches 

7  38  inches 

15  88  inches 

1872-73 

4.19  inches. 

7  31  inches 

11  50  inches 

1873-74 

5  75  inches 

9  75  inches 

15  50  inches 

1874-75  

4.25  inches. 

16.69  inches. 

20.94  inches. 

1875-76  

6.75  inches. 

15.88  inches 

22  63  inches 

1876-77  .. 

0  63  inches 

6  50  inches 

7  13  inches 

1877-78 

5  75  inches 

27  25  inches 

33  00  inches 

1878-79 

8  12  inches 

6  38  inches 

14  50  inches 

1879-80  

6.37  inches. 

21  94  inches 

28.31  inches 

1880-81  

13  50  inches 

3  06  inches 

16  56  inches 

1881-82  

•   3  3fi  inches 

1094  inches 

14  50  inches 

1882-83 

1  31  inches 

1]  88  inches 

13  19  inches 

1883-84 

3  81  inches 

29  25  inches 

33  06  inches 

1884-85  

9  12  inches 

3  44  inches 

12  56  inches 

1885-86         

13  44  inches 

Totals 

84  61  inches 

183  65  inches 

268  26  inches 

Average  for  fifteen  seasons 

5  641  inches 

12  243  inches 

17  884  inches 

The  above  table  shows  that  less  than  one  third  of  the  average  Winter  pre- 
cipitation occurs  before  January  first,  and  more  than  two  thirds  after 
that  date.  In  six  of  the  years  covered  by  the  above  record  the  rainfall 
after  March  first  was  two  inches;  in  one  year  it  was  one  inch;  in  one  year 
there  was  no  rainfall  after  February;  and  in  five  years  the  rains  extended 
into  April  and  early  May.  The  annual  precipitation  for  California,  as 
shown  by  the  Smithsonian  charts,  does  not  indicate  the  favorable  or  unfa- 
5 


46 


vorable  conditions  for  the  production  of  crops,  for  the  reason  that  it  gives 
the  annual  rainfall  from  January  first  to  December  thirty-first,  while  the 
result  depends  upon  the  rainfall  from  October  to  April;  that  is,  the 
Autumn,  Winter,  and  Spring  rains  determine  the  success  or  failure  of  the 
crops.  For  example,  during  the  Winter  of  1876-7  the  rainfall  after 
January  first  was  6.50  inches,  and  in  November  and  December  of  the 
same  year  it  was  5.75  inches,  giving  a  total  of  12.25  inches,  or  a  sufficient 
amount  to  insure  a  fair  average  crop,  while  in  that  year  the  crops  were 
almost  a  total  failure  throughout  the  State.  The  rainy  season  of  1883-4 
has  differed  from  any  of  the  preceding  years.  The  rains  began  at  the  most 
favorable  season — the  last  of  October  and  in  early  December — 3.81  inches 
falling  before  the  close  of  the  year.  The  people  of  California  were  never 
more  apprehensive  of  an  impending  drought  than  during  January,  1884. 
Business  interests  suffered  seriously  in  consequence  of  the  prevalence  of 
this  opinion.  Many  theories  were  published  indicating  that  the  year  1884 
would  be. one  of  drought;  tables  were  deduced  showing  such  a  probability — 
decades  of  dry  years  coming  at  certain  periods,  of  which  this  was  to  be 
one.  Still  there  never  has  been  a  year  in  which  so  much  rain  has  fallen 
after  January  first  as  has  been  the  case  in  this  (1884)  year.  The  precipi- 
tation for  that  part  of  the  rainy  season  preceding  January  first,  compared 
with  the  average  corresponding  season,  shows  a  deficiency  of  1.70  inches, 
while  that  of  the  succeeding  months  exhibits  the  unusually  large  excess  of 
17.64  inches,  and  the  total  amount  exceeds  the  largest  precipitation  of  any 
previous  year  of  the  record. 

ELLWOOD  COOPER. 
SANTA  BARBARA,  California. 


RAINFALL  FROM  FORT  JONES,  ON  THE  NORTH,  TO  POWAY,  ON  THE  SOUTH, 

FOR  JANUARY,  1886. 

The  following  tabulated  statement  gives  the  rainfall  for  January,  1886, 
for  each  place  named,  together  with  the  total  rainfall  for  this  season 
(1885-6)  up  to  February  1,  and  the  rainfall  for  last  season  (1884-5)  up  to 
an  equal  date  (February  1,  1885),  viz.: 


LOCALITIES. 

Rainfall    for 
Jan.,  1886. 

Rainfall  for 
Season  to 
Feb.  1,  1886. 

Rainfall  for  last 
Season  to  an 
equal  date. 

Scott  Valley,  Siskiyou  County  

7.22 
4.03 
4.80 
6.13 
5.73 
4.57 
3.91 
12.40 
13.08 
18.32 
4.75 
5.32 
7.60 
7.95 
8.12 
7.42 
5.10 
7.80 
7.00 
6.34 

22.08 
13.89 
28.76 
23.13 
20.80 
17.05 
16.62 
40.68 
34.82 
47.28 
16.59 
19.69 
23.60 
25.15 
23.93 
25.02 
13.10 
15.35 
9.57 
10.01 

•    12.48 
8.47 
10.87 
No  data. 
12.25 
3.99 
9.92 
36.37 
30.22 
42.47 
8.51 
No  data. 
13.70 
15.22 
13.10 
13.35 
7.73 
7.16 
5.36 
7.25 

Yreka,  Siskiyou  County            -  -       

Red  Bluff  Tehama  County 

Oroville,  Butte  County 

Marysville   Yuba  County 

Colusa,  Colusa  County  

Princeton,  Colusa  County        

Grass  Valley,  Nevada  County  _  

Placerville,  El  Dorado  County 

Georgetown,  El  Dorado  County 

West  Butte,  Sutter  County 

Nicolaus,  Sutter  County 

Folsom  City,  Sacramento  County  

Sacramento,  Sacramento  County  

Oakland,  Alameda  County.  

San  Francisco,  San  Francisco  Countv            

Salinas,  Monterey  County  _.                                .  . 

Los  Angeles,  Los  Angeles  County 

San  Diego,  San  Diego  County 

Poway>  San  Diego  County 

47 


-RAINFALL  FOR  JANUARY,  1886,  AND  FOR  THE  SEASON  OF  1885-6,  UP  TO 

FEBRUARY  FIRST. 

SIGNAL  SEKVICE,  UNITED  STATES  ARMY,  DIVISION  OF  THE  PACIFIC,  * 

SAN  FRANCISCO,  February  1,  1886.     j 

Table  showing  the  average  January  and  seasonal  rainfall,  as  obtained  from  a  series  of 
years,  with  the  rainfall  for  the  season  and  month  ending  January  31,  1886: 


STATIONS. 


Average, 
January. 


January, 


Average, 
Season. 


Total 
Season, 
1885-86. 


Red  Bluff... 5.55 

Tehama -- 2.93 

Chico 4.10 

Orland 4.72 

Willows 1.96 

Williams 2.72 

Marysville 3.27 

Dunnigan 3.26 

Woodland 3.11 

Suisun 4.16 

Davisville.. 3.23 

South  Vallejo.. 3.10 

Martinez...' 2.57 

Napa _.-  5.44 

Calistoga 7.48 

Antioch 2.11 

lone - 2.86 

Oakland 3.84 

Niles 2.99 

Pleasanton 3.20 

Livermore 2.52 

Tracy 1.68 

Lathrop -. 2.02 

Gait 2.57 

Brighton 2.73 

Sacramento 3.74 

San  Francisco .- ..-  4.83 

San  Mateo 4.07 

Menlo  Park... 2.42 

San  Jose. 2.55 

Gilroy 4.49 

Holli'ster 2.46 

Pajaro 4.03 

Monterey 2.15 

Salinas 3.01 

Soledad. ...! 2.14 

Santa  Cruz 4.77 

Modesto ... 1.70 

Turlock 1.15 

Merced 234 

Borden 1.33 

Fresno 1.29 

Kingsburg 1.07 

Goshen 0.98 

Lemoore 1.66 

Tulare 1.41 

Delano 0.79 

Sumner 0.95 

Caliente 1.34 

Keene 1.68 

Tehachapi 1.46 

Mojave 0.70 

Ravenna 1.35 

Newhall 1.97 

San  Fernando  .._ 2.02 

San  Luis  Obispo 4.61 

Los  Angeles 2.07 

Anaheim 1.37 

Spadra 2.91 

Mammoth 0.17 

San  Diego _ 1.70 


4.80 
4.83 
4.44 
4.00 
3.37 
3.83 
4.76 
8.37 
4.83 
8.10 
5.29 
6.39 
5.39 
8.09 
9.39 
4.54 
5.15 
6.77 
6.15 
4.25 
4.50 
3.15 
3.41 
5.17 
5.49 
7.95 
7.42 
6.20 
4.97 
3.59 
6.09 
3.93 
6.05 
3.09 
5.18 
2.44 
7.60 
2.73 
2.52 
2.64 
3.38 
2.38 
2.04 
1.71 
3.21 
1.41 
0.55 
0.85 
1.36 
2.14 
1.28 
3.45 
5.28 
5.22 
6.70 
5.80 
7.80 
4.62 
1.94 
0.57 
7.00 


16.62 
9.52 

12.07 
9.20 
7.08 
7.17 
9.98 
9.15 
8.60 

12.32 
9.61 
8.69 
8.30 

12.08 

18.78 
6.27 
8.91 

10.39 
9.53 
8.48 
7.57 
5.15 
5.60 
7.37 
7.42 

12.11 

14.28 

10.54 
7.60 
6.44 

11.16 
6.35 

10.32 
7.39 
7.01 
4.67 

13.59 
5.49 
4.86 
6.06 
4.27 
4.42 
4.57 
3.77 
5.58 
3.30 
2.61 
2.43 
4.34 
5.37 
4.31 
2.54 
5.16 
6.75 
6.46 

12.14 
7.82 
4.61 
6.33 
1.41 
5.80 


28.77 

17.73 

19.42 

16.66 

14.62 

14.22 

16.94 

24.09 

17.78 

23.18 

17.77 

19.06 

17.79 

21.61 

31.20 

11.60 

15.77 

20.36 

17.20 

13.80 

12.69 

9.60 

10.86 

13.06 

15.59 

25.15 

25.08 

15.57 

13.47 

13.15 

15.31 

10.23 

18.22 

11.55 

12.89 

9.88 

21.00 

8.63 

10.25 

9.54 

13.00 

12.26 

10.80 

7.43 

12.62 

6.31 

5.85 

4.10 

6.67 

6.67 

5.86 

4.86 

11.45 

16.48 

15.81 

22.49 

15.35 

8.71 

10.15 

2.20 

9.69 


48 


A  RAINFALL  TABLE  FOR  CALIFORNIA, 

AT  ONE  HUNDRED  AND  THIRTY-FIVE  DIFFERENT  POINTS. 


The  following  is  a  report  of  the  average  rainfall  for  February  for  from 
one  to  thirty-seven  years,  and  the  total  rainfall  for  February,  1886;  also, 
the  average  precipitation  of  many  seasons,  up  to  and  including  the  last 
day  of  February,  along  with  the  total  rainfall  for  the  present  season  up  to 
March  first.  The  data  shows  that  considerable  more  rain  has  fallen  this 
season  than  the  average  amount  due  for  many  seasons  up  to  an  equal 
date,  with  the  exception  of  nine  stations  in  the  following  table.  Those 
places  are  Point  Reyes,  average  13.04  inches,  and  for  this  season  only 
12.40  inches;  Pigeon  Point,  average  10.45  inches,  and  for  the  present  sea- 
son 10.35  inches;  Mojave,  average  4.15  inches,  and  for  this  season  only 
3.61  inches;  Keeler,  average  2  inches,  this  season,  1.97  inches;  Keene, 
average  8.55  inches,  and  for  this  season  7.19  inches;  Bishops  Creek,  aver- 
age .58  of  an  inch,  this  season  .24  of  an  inch;  Point  Conception,  average 
8.10  inches,  and  for  this  season  5.26  inches;  Colton,  average  6.25  inches, 
and  for  this  season  5.62  inches;  Westport,  average  38.71  inches,  for  this 
season  37.82  inches. 

The  records  from  which  these  tables  were  compiled  are  those  of  the  South- 
ern Pacific  Railway,  voluntary  observers,  Post  Surgeons,  and  Signal  Service 
Stations,  which  give  a  good  and  comparable  recofd  of  the  rainfall  of  this 
State,  from  latitude  32  to  42,  and  from  the  sea  level  to  an  altitude  of  from 
7,000  to  8,000  feet. 

The  tabulated  matter  was  prepared  at  the  Signal  Service  headquarters  of 
the  Pacific  Coast,  at  San  Francisco,  by  Lieut.  W.  A.  Glassford,  U.  S.  A., 
assistant  officer  in  charge.  The  stations  in  this  table  are  numbered  ac- 
cording to  their  geographical  position  in  the  State,  Crescent  City  being  the 
extreme  northernmost  point  and  San  Diego  the  most  southern;  the  sta- 
tions or  places  of  observation  following  each  other  in  their  proper  order 
from  north  to  south: 


No. 

PLACES. 

No.  of  Febs. 
Computed 
in  Av'ge. 

*  Average 
for  past 
Februarys. 

February, 
1886. 

*  Average 
for 

Season. 

Total  for 

Season, 
1885-86. 

1 

Crescent  City 

4 

11.00 

8.19 

69.40 

90.39 

? 

Yreka                                          

13 

1.83 

.91 

11.89 

15.38 

% 

Fort  Jones 

26 

3.00 

1.32 

18.21 

24.57 

4 

Fort  Bidwell 

29 

2.37 

1.22 

13.43 

18.64 

6 

Orleans 

2.41 

4&B8 

7 

Fort  Gaston     

21 

8.27 

5.29 

40.72 

57.80 

8 

Hurnboldt  Lighthouse  

6 

4.92 

1.97 

23.79 

31.58 

9 

Cape  Mendocino  

3 

2.06 

1.37 

13.06 

19.87 

10 

Weaverville 

11 

6.20 

.80 

31.67 

33.40 

U 

Delta 

1, 

50 

53.37 

V? 

Redding 

11 

4.55 

25.77 

31.20 

1S 

Anderson 

.38 

28.13 

14 

Red  Bluff 

8 

4.06 

.18 

20.60 

29.00 

15 

Tehama  

15 

2.28 

.00 

11.68 

17.98 

16 

Chico  

15 

3.62 

.75 

15.71 

20.17 

17 

Oroville  

1 

.73 

.36 

19.74 

22.53 

18 

Orland  

2 

1.08 

.50 

10.98 

17.61 

19 

Willows    

7 

1.16 

t 

8.50 

15.29 

90 

Princeton     

11 

2.18 

.17 

10.85 

16.79 

°1 

Little  Stony 

00 

20.79 

?,?, 

Fout's  Snrines  .. 

.02 

23.79 

49 


No. 

PLACES. 

No.  of  Febs. 
Computed 
in  Av'ge. 

*Averag»e 
for  past   • 
Februarys. 

TO, 

*&H»rage 
8±n° 

.  

Totel  fo# 

23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
28 
29 
30 
31 
32 
33 
34 
35 
36 
37 
38 
39 
40 
41 
42 
43 
44 
45 
45* 
46" 
47 
48 
49 
50 
51 
52 
53 
54 
55 
56 
57 
58 
59 
60 
61 
62 
63 
64 

65 
66 
67 
68 
69 
70 
71 
71* 

f 

73 
74 

75 
76 
77 
78 
79 
80 
81 
82 
83 
84 
85 
86 

Colusa                              -  

5 

8 

1 

tj 
i 
2 

15 
13 
6 

1.62 
1.69 
3.79 
3.53 
3.53 
2.34 
7.53 
1.20 

.20 
.00 
1.35 
1.19 
.30 
.34 
1.43 
.70 
.49 
.00 
1.97 
.34 
.00 
.34 
1.16 
1.15 
.69 
.90 
.29 
.00 
.07 
.00 
.00 
.20 
.00 
.00 
.07 
t 
.00 
.00 
.13 
.28 
.28 
.79 
.12 
.15 
.10 
.00 
.24 
.00 
.41 
.05 

.00 
.03 
.00 
.00 
.05 
.01 
.35 
.41 
.07 
.75 
.10 
.08 
.30 
.63 
.29 
.24 
.26 
.35 
.37 
.94 
.62 
1.12 
134 

10.36 
8.98 
38.71 
19.44 
29.84 
12.32 
35.57 
9.25 

17.25 
14.22 

37.82 
36.09 
37.12 
17.28 
42.11 
17.29 
20.18 
18.46 
46.85 
35.04 
25.57 
19.49 
48.47 
35.92 
28.02 
24.52 
2539 
13.93 
15.66 
24.09 
17.43 
18.00 
23.18 
19.06 
20.98 
31.20 
21.61 
21.62 
12.40 
30.57 
37.00 
23.78 
24.23 
21.30 
20.50 
21.34 
25.32 
14.76 
19.92 
17.84 

8.84 
13.17 
12.90 
11.60 
11.72 
10.99 
10.99 
13.33 
15.84 
24.53 
8.54 
10.33 
20.66 
17.85 
14.09 
12.93 
20.17 
15.92 
13.84 
17.42 
10.35 
14.27 
32.65 
15.63 
23.16 

Williams                                      -- 

Westport 

Marys  ville                                 

Grass  Vallev                                  -  

West  Butte 

8 
15 
15 
15 
15 
13 
6 
19 
14 
37 
8 
8 
9 
9 
14 
14 
9 
29 
13 
9 
14 
7 
10 
2 
7 
16 
20 
31 
12 
36 
7 
5 
8 

7 
6 
6 
9 
15 
8 
15 
8 
8 
8 
15 

8 
15 

2.32 
9.20 
6.81 
5.09 
2.89 
8.53 
5.51 
3.87 
3.45 
2.87 
2.38 
2.82 
1.84 
2.45 
2.14 
2.71 
2.41 
2.18 
4.75 
3.45 
3.61 
2.63 
5.92 
4.22 
3.01 
2.68 
3.00 
3.21 
2.06 
3.71 
2.19 
2.43 
2.56 

.95 
1.22 
1.38 
1.40 
2.13 
1.99 
6.22 
2.56 
3.18 
5.18 
1.22 
1.42 
3.56 
2.76 
3.01 
2.34 
2.72 
2.65 
1.71 
2.61 
2.11 
1.93 

11.29 
33.82 
30.91 
23.40 
14.05 
40.97 
30.35 
24.76 
16.50 
14.39 
10.14 
10.59 
11.53 
11.22 
11.89 
15.30 
11.42 
11.24 
23.67 
15.79 
16.92 
13.04 
27.77 
30.10 
17.31 
16.12 
13.41 
14.64 
11.81 
18.35 
11.70 
12.69 
11.17 

5.33 

7.40 
8.27 
7.67 
9.54 
7.75 
6.62 
10.11 
12.34 
20.34 
6.76 
6.48 
14.27 
12.50 
11.60 
10.01 
16.0f> 
13.36 
9.63 
14.57 
10.45 
8.45 

Emigrant  Gap                          

Coif  ax                                                  

Georgetown                          

Placerville 

Shingle  Springs 

Sacramento                        -     

Gait 

Brighton 

Dunnigan  (Yolo  County)    

Woodland.                      -                  -  

Davisville 

Suisun 

South  Vallejo                  

Benicia  Barracks 

Calistoga 

Napa          

Petaluma                    -            -       

Point  Reyes 

San  Rafael  

Ross  Valley     

Point  Benito                       

Angel  Island, 

Alcatraz  Island  

Presidio 

Fort  Mason    - 

San  Francisco 

Goat  Island  -  

Farrallone  Island  Lighthouse  

Martinez 

East  Brother  Island  (opposite  San 
Quentin  Penitentiary).  

Brentwood 

Byron  __  .  _ 

Antioch  

Stockton 

Lathrop 

Tracy 

Farmington 

lone 

Jackson  

Modesto  

Turlock            .     . 

Oakland 

Niles  

Pleasanton  
Livermore    

8 
15 
7 
12 

7 
7 
7 
12 

Point  Montara  Lighthouse 

San  Mateo 

Menlo  Park 

Ano  Nue  vo  Lighthouse  

Pigeon  Point.   

San  Jos6    

Los  Gatos 

Gilroy 

12 
1 

2.99 
.19 

.32 

.80 

14.28 
19.27 

Aptos  .  . 

50 


No. 

87 
88 
89 
90 
9X 
92 
93 
94 
95 
98 
97 
98 
99 
100 
101 
102 
103 
104 
105 
106 
107 
108 
109 
110 
111 
112 
113 
114 
115 
116 
117 
118 
119 
120 
121 
122 
123 
124 
125 
126 
127 
128 
129 
130 
131 
132 

PLACES. 

No.  of  Febs. 
Computed 
in  Av'ge. 

*  Average 
for  past 
Februarys. 

February, 

188(5. 

*  Average 
for 
Season. 

Total  for 
Season, 

1885-86. 

Santa  Cruz                  -                   - 

8 
12 
14 
10 

8 
7 
12 

4.12 

2.85 
1.31 
1.62 
1.21 
1.35 
1.81 

.80 
.47 
.10 
.08 
.58 
.24 
.22 
30 

18.03 
13.33 
7.39 
6.13 
5.75 
7.06 
8.28 

21.80 
18.09 

9.64 
13.68 
12.84 
11.04 
10.45 
29  60 

Pajaro 

Merced. 

Borden 

Fresno  

Kingsburg  

Holfister 

Erie 

Salinas 

12 
5 
3 
12 
2 
2 

2.26 
2.24 
1.04 
1.47 

.00 
.62 

1.16 
1.14 
1.10 
.93 
.00 
.10 
47 

9.44 
9.79 
7.18 
6.12 
.58 
2.00 

14.05 
12.69 
12.50 
10.81 
.24 
1.97 
9.08 
7.89 
6.51 
12.75 
23.29 
(5.25 
4.30 
7.56 
7.19 
6.06 
3.61 
13.23 
5.26 
16.79 
11.58 
17.17 
15.81 
18.02 
16.76 
10.85 
9.54 
12.78 
21.52 
22.90 
5.62 
6.73 
14.91 

Monterey  

Chualar  ._ 

Soledad 

Bishops  Creek 

Keeler  .  

Traver 

Gosheii    .            _- 

8 
11 
7 
16 
10 
10 
10 
8 
9 
7 

1.35 
1.26 
1.17 
3.81 
1.18 
.78 
2.04 
3.14 
2.83 
1.51 

.43 
.15 
.20 
.81 
•20 
.20 
.66 
.64 
.20 
.00 
.97 
1.22 
1.04 
.11 
.69 
.00 
1.21 
1.41 
.45 
.82 
1.83 
1.27 

5.22 
4.56 
li.fto 
16.05 
3.79 
3.20 
6.40 
8.55 
7.15 
4.15 

Tulare 

Lemoore 

San  Luis  Obispo  

Delano  

Sumner                    

Caliente 

Keene 

Tehachapi  

Mo  j  ave     

Santa  Maria 

Point  Conception 

7 
11 
6 
9 
8 
3 
7 
11 
8 

4.18 
3.83 
2.33 
2.89 
3.20 
4.83 
3.76 
2.36 
2.59 

8.10 
12.63 
8.05 
9.96 
10.18 
14.16 
12.17 
8.93 
7.56 

San  Buenaventura  

Ravenna  

Newhall     ...             

San  Fernando 

Cahuenga  Valley 

Los  Angeles  

Spadra  

Anaheim          -                    -              _ 

Orange 

Santa  Monica. 

.       1 

.02 
.91 
2.44 
173 

14.80 

Cucamonga 

Colton  

9 

.40 

6.25 

San  Gorgonio 

San  Bernardino 

15 
8 
8 
10 
7 
14 

•     2.87 
.57 
.34 
.57 
2.55 
2.42 

2.52 

11.79 

2.18 
1.97 
2  22 
9.26 
8.16 

Indio 

Mammoth  Tank  

.20 

.08 
.77 
1.51 

2.40 
3.71 

10.78 
11.20 

Yuma  

Poway  _       .               _.              

San  Diego 

*  February,  1886,  is  not  computed  in  the  average, 
f  Inappreciable. 


51 


SPRING,  SUMMER,  FALL,  AND  WINTER. 

COMPARATIVE    TEMPERATURE   TABLES    FOR    CALIFORNIA,  OTHER  POR- 
TIONS OF  THE  UNITED  STATES,  AND  HEALTH  RESORTS  IN 
EUROPE  AND  MEXICO. 


The  following  interesting  comparative  temperature  tables  show  the  mean 
average  temperature  for  Spring,  Summer,  Fall,  and  Winter;  also,  the  aver- 
age yearly  temperature,  and  the  highest  and  lowest  temperature  at  various 
celebrated  health  resorts  and  other  places  of  note  in  the  United  States, 
Mexico,  and  Europe.  It  is  quite  remarkable  that  out  of  63  stations  in 
various  parts  of  the  United  States  that  gives  the  highest  temperature,  there 
are  43  that  have  a  maximum  of  100  and  over,  going  to  show  that  there  are 
very  few  places  in  the  United  States  but  what  have  at  times  a  very  high  tem- 
perature, well  up  in  the  nineties,  and  very  often  over  100.  In  the  column  of 
lowest  temperature  a  dash  thus  (-)  'before  a  figure,  indicates  below  zero. 
It  will  be  seen  that  33  out  of  63  stations  (that  show -the  lowest  tempera- 
ture) have  a  minimum  below  zero.  .  Cities  very  much  farther  south 
Sacramento  or  Red  Bluff  show  a  very  much  lower  temperature,  as  witness 
Santa  Fe,  which  has  a  temperature  as  low  a,s  13  below  zero;.  Aiken,  South 
Carolina,  down  to  3  above;  Atlanta,  Georgia,  3  above;  Chattanooga,  3 
above;  Knoxville,  Tennessee,  1.4  below  zero;  Prescott,  Arizona,  18  below 
zero;  Jacksonville,  Florida,  19;  Jerusalem,  the  Holy  City,  25  above.  It 
proves  beyond  a  doubt  that  California  can  stand  a  comparison  with  places 
very  much  farther  south  than  in  the  Upper  Sacramento  Valley  and  central 
part  of  the  State.  The  columns  of  mean  temperature  for  the  different  sea- 
sons of  the  year  are  also  valuable  for  ready  reference,  and  proof  of  the 
salubrity  of  the  California  climate.  These  tables  are  drawn  from  records 
of  many  years  (and  not  from  one  single  year),  making  them  very  much 
more  valuable  as  reference  tables: 


STATIONS. 

Average  Spring 
Temperature-- 

Average  Summei 
Temperature.. 

Average  Fall 
Temperature. 

Average  Winter 
Temperature.. 

rt 

i    £ 

Lowest  Temper- 
ature. ...  

Average  Annual 
Temperature-  _ 

Aiken  South  Carolina 

61.3 

774 

620 

458 

102 

3 

61  6 

Atlanta  Georgia 

613 

769 

619 

464 

98 

1 

61  8 

Atlantic  City,  New  Jersey  

47.3 

70.4 

56.1 

33.8 

99 

_7 

519 

Algiers                      

66.0 

770 

600 

55.0 

no  rec 

no  rec 

645 

Boston   Massachusetts 

449 

691 

511 

281 

101 

13 

483 

Baltimore  Maryland 

518 

748 

569 

360 

101 

6 

556 

Bermuda,  Atlantic  Ocean  

63.7 

75.2 

71.9 

58.8 

no  rec. 

no  rec 

674 

Charleston,  South  Carolina  

64.9 

81.2 

66.7 

50.9 

104 

13 

660 

Charlotte,  North  Carolina 

595 

777 

612 

434 

101 

5 

606 

Cadiz,  Spain 

599 

704 

653 

529 

no  rec 

no  rec 

621 

Cape  Henry  Virginia 

55  1 

760 

622 

423 

103 

7 

589 

Cairo,  Egypt   

73.6 

85.1 

71.5 

58.5 

no  rec 

no  rec 

722 

Cape  May,  New  Jersey  

49.0 

71.7 

576 

356 

91 

1 

536 

Chattanooga,  Tennessee 

60.1 

766 

610 

444 

101 

3 

606 

Cincinnati,  Ohio 

546 

761 

566 

363 

104 

10 

559 

Columbus  Ohio 

512 

730 

544 

393 

103 

20 

528 

Chicago,  Illinois  

46.0 

70.0 

51.4 

278 

99 

-23 

48  8 

Cheyenne,  Wyoming  Territory... 
Detroit   Michigan 

40.3 
434 

61.8 
689 

44.3 
514 

23.2 
26  3 

101 

100 

-38 
24 

44.3 

48  0 

Dubuaue.  Iowa  .. 

45.1 

69.6 

48.7 

17.5 

101 

-31 

48.2 

52 


STATIONS. 

Average  Spring 
Temperature.. 

Average  Slimmer 
Temperature— 

Average  Fall 
Temperature— 

Average  Winter 
Temperature— 

Highest  Tem- 
perature   

Lowest  Temper- 
ature.    

A  venigo  Annual 
Temperature.. 

Des  Moines  Iowa 

46.8 

70.3 

49.0 

17.3 

103 

-20 

48.9 

Dodge  City  Kansas 

529 

753 

535 

306 

108 

9Q 

530 

Denver,  Colorado  

47.6 

69.8 

49.3 

29.9 

105 

-29 

49.2 

El  Paso,  Texas  

62.9 

80.9 

60.7 

45.0 

113 

-5 

63.3 

Florence,  Italy          ..  

56.0 

74.0 

60.7 

44.3 

no  rec. 

no  rec. 

58.8 

Funchal,  Madeira 

64.6 

70.9 

70.2 

62.9 

no  rec. 

110  rec. 

67.2 

Galveston  Texas 

69.9 

83.5 

71.3 

55.4 

99 

18 

701 

Grand  Haven,  Michigan  ._,  

40.8 

64.7 

48.5 

24.1 

92 

-24 

47.0 

Havana,  Cuba  

76.2 

81.3 

78.1 

73.0 

no  rec. 

no  rec. 

77.2 

Indianapolis  Indiana 

501 

723 

543 

290 

101 

22 

532 

Jerusalem,  Palestine 

no  rec. 

no  rec. 

no  rec. 

no  rec. 

94 

25 

62.8 

Jacksonville  Florida 

69.0 

81.5 

69.8 

56.6 

104 

19 

693 

Key  West,  Florida.  

76.8 

83.9 

78.9 

70.8 

97 

44 

77.6 

Knoxville,  Tennessee  

57.3 

75.0 

57.4 

39.7 

100 

-14 

57.3 

Louisville,  Kentucky  _ 

55.7 

76.8 

57.2 

37.3 

105 

-10 

56.8 

Lisbon,  Portugal 

60.0 

-71.0 

62.0 

53.0 

no  rec. 

no  rec. 

61.5 

Los  Angeles  California 

58.4 

67.6 

62.7 

53.5 

108 

28 

60  fT"" 

Little  Rock,  Arkansas  

.      62.6 

'79.0 

62.7 

45.9 

102 

6 

62.5 

Leavenworth   Kansas 

52.2 

735 

535 

263 

107 

29 

534 

Mexico  City,  Mexico    

63.4 

65.2 

60.1 

53.6 

no  rec. 

no  rec. 

60.6 

Malta 

62.8 

78.2 

71.0 

57.5 

no  rec. 

no  rec. 

67.4 

Mentone  France 

60.0 

73.0 

56.6 

49.5 

no  rec 

no  rec. 

59.8 

Mobile,  Alabama  

67.2 

81.4 

67.6 

52.6 

101 

14 

67.1 

Memphis,  Tennessee     ~ 

'61.4 

79.5 

60.6 

42.8 

102 

2 

61.1 

Milwaukee  Wisconsin 

421 

671 

480 

233 

98 

95 

45  1 

Nassau,  Bahama  Islands 

77.7 

86.0 

80.3 

70.7 

no  rec. 

no  rec. 

78.7 

Nice  Italy 

56.2 

72.3 

616 

47.9 

no  rec. 

no  rec. 

59.5 

New  Haven,  Connecticut  

46.5 

70.5 

52.8 

29.6 

100 

-4 

50.0 

New  York  City,  New  York  . 

47.6 

71.6 

54.5 

31.5 

100 

-6 

51.2 

Norfolk,  Virginia 

57.0 

77.5 

60.5 

41.9 

102 

6 

59.2 

New  Orleans,  Louisiana 

68.9 

81.9 

69.7 

55.9 

97 

20 

69.2 

Omaha,  Nebraska 

49.4 

74.2 

505 

24.6 

105 

-25 

49.7 

Oakland,  California  

55.0 

60.7 

56.4 

48.4 

103 

25 

55.1 

Pau,  France  .  

54.1 

70.7 

57.4 

41.9 

no  rec. 

no  rec. 

56.0 

Pensacola,  Florida 

67.9 

80.6 

69.3 

56.3 

97 

15 

68.5 

Prescott  Arizona 

507 

700 

52  1 

355 

103 

18 

523 

Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania  

50.5 

73.9 

55.3 

33.2 

102 

-5 

53.2  . 

Rome,  Italy  

57.6 

72.2 

64.0 

48.9 

no  rec. 

no  rec. 

60.7 

Red  Bluff,  California  •_ 

60.0 

80.2 

63.5 

47.0 

110 

^hfr 

(i±7 

St  Michaels  Azores 

612 

683 

623 

578 

no  rec 

no  rec 

(!''>  4 

Santa  Cruz,  Canary  Islands 

68.9 

76.7 

74.2 

64.6 

no  rec. 

no  rec. 

71.1 

Sandy  Hook  New  Jersey 

47.4 

72.0 

56.1 

32.6 

101 

-6 

52.0 

Savannah,  Georgia  

66.7 

81.3 

66.8 

52.7 

105 

15 

66.9 

St.  Louis,  Missouri  

54.8 

76.8 

55.9 

34.1 

106 

-17 

55.4 

Springfield,  Illinois  ._ 

52.5 

74.2 

54.7 

32.0 

101 

-14 

53.2 

St.  Paul,  Minnesota 

43.8 

69.5 

46.2 

17.4 

100 

-39 

44.0 

St.  Augustine,  Florida 

68.7 

80.4 

71.9 

58.2 

no  rec. 

no  rec. 

69.8 

Sante  Fe,  New  Mexico  

50.1 

70.5 

51.3 

30.3 

97 

-13 

47.9 

Salt  Lake  City,  Utah  Territory... 
Sacramento,  California  ... 

49.2 
59.5 

72.6 
71.7 

51.6 
61.5 

31.4 
48.3 

101 
105 

-20 
21 

51.1 

60.2 

San  Francisco,  California 

54.6 

58.4 

58.2 

51.4 

95 

34 

55.7 

Salinas,  California 

53.2 

58.6 

52.1 

50.8 

83 

28 

53.7 

Santa  Barbara,  California 

594 

67.7 

63.1 

54.3 

102 

31 

6i.i 

San  Diego,  California  

58.1 

66.7 

62.7 

54.4 

101 

32 

60.5 

Visalia,  California  

59.4 

80.8 

60.3 

45.4 

109 

—A8 

60.9 

Vera  Cruz,  Mexico.  

77.0 

81.9 

78.3 

70.9 

96 

61 

77.0 

Wilmington,  North  Carolina  
Washington  City,  D.  C. 

61.9 
53.0 

78.7 
75.5 

63.7 
56.5 

47.8 
34.9 

103 
104 

10 
-14 

63.0 

55.0 

Yankton,  Dakota  Territory 

43.3 

69.8 

46.6 

14.5 

103 

-34 

45.7 

Yuma,  Arizona  

70.5 

89.9 

72.3 

66.2 

118 

22 

72.3 

53 


THE  MODIFYING  EFFECTS 

THE  GREAT  DESERTS  OF  CALIFORNIA  AND  NEVADA  HAVE  UPON  THE 
TEMPERATURE  OF  THE  INTERIOR  VALLEYS  OF  THE  STATE. 


The  causes  that  produce  the  peculiar  climatic  conditions  in  the.  way  of 
temperature  distribution  in  the  great  interior  valleys  of  California,  are  well 
and  ably  set  forth  in  an  article  by  the  late  lamented  the  Honorable  B.  B. 
Redding,  and  is  a  portion  of  a  very  interesting  paper  published  by  the  State 
Agricultural  Society  in  1877,  and  is  as  follows: 

In  addition  to  the  effects  due  to  latitude,  to  the  Pacific  Ocean  and  its 
Japan  Gulf  Stream,  the  temperature  of  the  State  is  materially  modified  by 
the  Colorado,  Mohave,  and  Nevada  Deserts,  lying  south  and  east  of  this 
State.  These  great  reservoirs  daily  absorbing  and  daily  radiating  heat  on 
the  south  and  east,  the  Gulf  Stream  giving  up  its  heat  on  the  northwest, 
together  combine  to  send  the  isothermal  lines  nearly  as  far  north  as  they 
are  in  the  western  part  of  Europe.  Redding,  at  the  northern  end  of  the 
Sacramento  Valley,  latitude,  40°  35',  longitude,  122°  22',  elevation,  558  feet, 
has  a  mean  annual  temperature  of  64°,  within  2'  as  warm  as  Charleston, 
South  Carolina,  8°  further  south;  the  latter  city  having  a  mean  of  66.°  Red 
Bluff,  latitude,  40°  10',  longitude,  122°  15',  elevation,  307  feet,  has  an  annual 
mean  temperature  of  66°,  the  same  as  Charleston.  Chico,  in  latitude  39° 
40',  has  a  mean  temperature  of  62°,  or  but  4°  less  than  Charleston. 

Coming  south  through  the  center  of  the  Sacramento  Valley  from  Red- 
ding on  the  north,  to  Sumner  on  the  extreme  south,  the  mean  annual  tem- 
perature of  the  various  successive  stations  show  the  effect  of  the  radiation 
of  heat  in  this  valley,  and  the  influence  of  the  wind  from  the  cool  gulf 
stream  where  it  flows  through  the  Golden  Gate  and  up  the  Sacramento 
River. 

The  mean  annual  temperature  for  the  places  named  will  show  it  very 
plainly: 

Eedding  has  an  annual  mean  temperature  of ..64°  1' 

Red  Bluff  has  an  annual  mean  temperature  of 66°  I1' 

Chico  has  an  annual  mean  temperature  of 62°  5' 

Marysville  has  an  annual  mean  temperature  of 63°  6' 

Sacramento  has  an  annual  mean  temperature  of 60°  5' 

Stockton  has  an  annual  mean  temperature  of... _.62°  0' 

Modesto  has  an  annual  mean  temperature  of 63°  7' 

Merced  has  an  annual  mean  temperature  of 63°  2' 

Borden  has  an  annual  mean  temperature  of 66°  4' 

Tulare  has  an  annual  mean  temperature  of 64°  1' 

Delano  has  an  annual  mean  temperature  of 68°  6' 

Sumner  has  an  annual  mean  temperature  of 68°  3' 

It  will  be  seen  by  the  mean  yearly  average  that  Sacramento  is  the  cool- 
est place  in  the  valley,  the  temperature  increasing  both  north  and  south 
from  this  point.  The  breeze  from  the  ocean  in  the  Summer  follows  up  the 
river  and  reaches  Sacramento  each  day  about  5  p.  M.,  and  thus  reduces  the 
mean  of  its  temperature.  It  may  be  from  the  same  influence  that  its  rain- 
fall is  increased  above  the  next  stations  north  and  south.  The  reduction 
of  temperature  at  Sacramento  by  the  air  from  the  ocean  passing  through 
the  Golden  Gate  and  up  the  Sacramento  River  was  noted  and  commented 
on  by  the  Rev.  J.  H.  C.  Bonte,  in  his  discourse  on  the  northerly  winds  of 


54 

the  great  central  valley  of  California.  He  said:  "These  winds  are  most 
virulent  and  desiccating  in  the  extreme  north  and  the  extreme  south  ends 
of  the  valley;  the  atmosphere  from  the  Golden  Gate  and  the  bays  seem  to 
modify  the  wind  ordinarily  in  the  center  of  the  valley.'' 

The  tables  of  temperature  above  confirm  his  inference.  Tulare  is  4° 
cooler  for  the  year  than  the  next  station  south,  and  2°  cooler  than  the  next 
station  north,  which  may  be  referred  to  the  influence  of  the  cold  air  from 
the  high  mountains  at  whose  base  it  is  situated,  and  to  the  evaporation 
from  Tulare  Lake.  Another  effect  of  these  deserts  is  to  create  a  daily  sea 
breeze  from  the  southwest  return  trade  winds  that  prevail  on  the  coast  as 
surface  winds  during  the  Summer  months.  Each  day,  after  the  sun  rises 
over  these  great  deserts,  they  become  heated  and  increase  the  temperature 
of  the  air  over  their  surface;  this  air  rises,  and  as  the  whole  current  of  cool 
air  is  from  the  ocean  on  the  west,  it  rushes  in  to  fill  the  vacancy.  A  gentle 
southwest  wind  may  be  blowing  on  the  coast  at  night  or  in  the  morning; 
by  eleven  or  twelve  o'clock,  the  full  force  of  the  sun's  rays  is  felt  in  the 
Nevada  Desert — the  gentle  breeze  has  increased  to  a  brisk  wind,  and  con- 
tinues until  evening,  after  the  setting  sun  has  withdrawn  his  rays  and  the 
desert  has  radiated  its  heat  into  space.  The  gentle  southwest  wind  resumes 
its  sway  until  the  next  day,  when,  from  the  same  cause,  the  high  wind  is 
again  repeated.  Dr.  Gibbons,  in  an  article  on  the  climate  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, says:  "Whatever  may  be  the  direction  of  the  wind  in  the  forenoon, 
in  the  Spring,  Summer,  and  Autumn  months  it  almost  invariably  works 
round  towards  the  west  in  the  afternoon.  So  constant  is  this  phenomenon 
that  in  the  seven  months  from  April  to  October,  inclusive,  there  were  but 
three  days  in  which  it  missed,  and  those  three  days  were  all  rainy,  with 
the  wind  from  the  south  or  southwest."  He  adds:  "  I  cannot  discover  that 
in  any  other  spot  on  the  globe  the  wind  blows  from  one  octant  one  hundred 
and  eighty-six  days  and  from  the  opposite  octant  only  six  days  in  the  year." 

The  mean  Summer  temperature  at  Wadsworth  and  Brown's  Station,  on 
the  Nevada  Desert,  on  the  line  of  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad,  is  80.8°,  and 
for  Brown's,  78.1°.  The  Summer  temperature  at  Fort  Mohave  is  92.6°,  and 
at  Fort  Yuma,  92.7°.  The  mean  temperature  of  the  Mohave  Desert  for 
July  is  93.1°.  Tort  Yuma  is  about  five  hundred  miles  south-southeast 
from  Wadsworth.  The  country  intervening  is  entirely  desert. 

The  indraught  of  westerly  winds  from  the  Pacific  in  Summer  does  not 
appear  to  be  alone  sufficient  to  satisfy  the  demands  of  the  heat  of  these 
great  deserts.  Lieutenant  Wheeler  states  that  on  the  Mohave  Desert 
"  southeast  winds  are  by  far  the  most  prevalent  in  the  Summer  time."  He 
adds:  "It  is  also  easily  observed  that  the  clouds  and  Summer  rains  come 
from  that  direction."  From  this  it  would  appear  that  the  deserts  create 
an  indraught  from  the  Gulf  of  California,  as  well  as  from  the  Pacific  Ocean. 
I  have  shown  that  we  are  in  the  latitude  of  the  southwest  return  trade 
winds,  and  that  their  force  is  augmented  by  the  effects  of  the  radiation  of 
heat  from  the  deserts  on  our  eastern  border.  The  configuration  of  the 
immediate  coast  near  San  Francisco,  from  Point  San  Pedro  to  Point  Reyes, 
and  the  open  Golden  Gate,  cause  an  increased  quantity  of  this  daily  sea 
breeze  to  pass  by  and  over  this  city.  This  increased  wind  and  accom- 
panying fog,  coming  directly  from  over  the  cool  Japan  Gulf  Stream,  so  lowers 
the  Summer  temperature  of  this  city  that,  as  has  been  shown  by  Dr.  Gib- 
bons and  the  records  of  the  Smithsonian  Institute,  there  is  no  other  place 
in  the  whole  territory  of  the  United  States,  of  the  same  elevation,  that  has 
so  low  a  mean  temperature;  the  mean  Summer  temperature  at  the  Golden 
Gate  being  56°.  Another  cause  affecting  the  climate  of  California  is  in  the 


55 

fact  that  the  Sierra  Nevada  and  Cascade  Mountains  reach  the  coast  of 
Alaska,  and  bend  like  a  great  arm  around  its  western  and  southern  shores, 
thus  shutting  off  or  deflecting  the  polar  winds  that  otherwise  would  flow 
down  over  Oregon  and  California.  The  cold  winds  that  reach  this  State 
are  usually  from  the  northwest,  and  have  had  their  temperature  raised  by 
passing  over  the  Japan  Gulf  Stream  before  that  gulf  stream  has  been 
reduced  to  the  temperature  we  find  it  while  passing  our  coast.  It  has  been 
shown  that  this  northwest  wind  precipitates  its  moisture  by  becoming 
reduced  in  temperature  where  it  meets  the  coast  of  Alaska,  British  Colum- 
bia, and  Washington  Territory.  It  passes  inland,  following  the  Cascade 
Mountains  where  they  leave  the  coast.  As  it  comes  south  it  is  heated  by 
coming  into  warmer  latitudes,  its  capacity  to  take  up  moisture  is  increased, 
but  it  finds  none  in  its  course  to  take  up.  The  Cascades,  which  are  a 
continuation  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  direct  it  into  the 

SACRAMENTO   VALLEY, 

Where  it  meets  still  greater  heat,  which  the  more  increases  its  capacity  for 
containing  moisture.  It  therefore  possesses  all  the  desiccating  qualities 
for  which  it  has  become  famous.  Of  course  its  influence  as  a  desiccating 
wind  is  only  felt  in  the  interior,  away  from  the  influence  of  the  ocean. 
The  foregoing  are  some  of  the  principal  causes  that  give  to  this  portion  of 
the  Pacific  Coast  its  peculiar  climate.  The  causes  of  variation  in  rainfall, 
temperature,  and  course  of  the  wind  in  localities,  can  be  ascertained  by  a 
series  of  local  and  general  observations,  lasting  for  a  sufficient  period  to 
warrant  conclusions  from  the  mean  obtained.  Such  observations,  if  taken 
and  condensed,  would  be  of  value  to  the  farmer,  to  the  merchant,  and,  in 
fact,  add  to  the  prosperity  of  every  inhabitant  of  the  State. 


CLIMATE  OF  THE  SACRAMENTO  AND  SAN  JOAQUIN  VALLEYS 
AND  THE  FOOTHILLS. 


The  climate  of  the  Sacramento  Valley  and  foothills  being  of  great  interest 
just  at  present  and  since  the  holding  of  the  Citrus  Fair,  January  11,  1886, 
I  thought  it  a  very  appropriate  time  to  reprint  a  portion  of  an  article  by 
the  late  lamented  the  Honorable  B.  B.  Redding,  published  in  the  State 
Agricultural  Society's  Report  for  1878.  The  subject  spoken  of  above  is  on 
the  general  climatic  condition  of  the  Sacramento  Valley  and  foothills, 
from  Redding  on  the  north  to  Sumner  on  the  south,  and  is  as  follows: 

From  Redding,  in  the  northern  end,  to  Sumner,  at  its  southern  extrem- 
ity, is  a  distance  of  three  hundred  and  fifty  miles.  The  mean  annual 
average  temperature  of  Redding  is  64°.  The  lowest  point  to  which  the 
thermometer  has  fallen  since  a  record  has  been  kept  was.  27°,  in  December, 
1876.  [In  all  probability  it  fell  lower  than  that  since  the  above  article 
was  written,  for  in  1883  it  fell  to  19°  at  Red  Bluff. — SERGEANT  BARWICK.] 
Sumner,  at  the  southern  end  of  the  valley,  has  an  annual  average  tempera- 
ture of  68°,  and  an  average  rainfall  of  four  inches.  The  lowest  point  to 
which  the  thermometer  has  fallen  at  this  place  was  also  27°,  on  the  same 
day,  in  December,  1876.  [In  December,  1883  (since  the  above  was  writ- 


56 

ten) ,  the  temperature  fell  to  25°,  according  to  the  railroad  weather  reports. 
— SERGEANT  BARWICK.]  There  is  a  remarkable  uniformity  in  the  climate 
throughout  the  Sacramento  Valley.  In  it,  a  difference  of  5°  of  latitude, 
between  35°  30'  and  40°  30',  only  lowers  the  annual  average  temperature 
4.15°.  The  difference  of  the  annual  average  temperature  between  corre- 
sponding degrees  of  latitude  in  the  Atlantic  States,  at  an  equal  distance 
from  the  ocean,  is  more  than  8°.  It  has  been  found  that  the  foothills  of 
the  Sierra,  up  to  a  height  of  about  twenty-five  hundred  feet,  have  apparently 
the  same  temperature  as  places  in  the  valley  having  the  same  latitude.  It 
has  also  been  found  that  with  increased  elevation  there  is  an  increase  of 
rainfall  over  those  places  in  the  valley  having  the  same  latitude,  as,  for 
illustration,  Sacramento,  with  an  elevation  above  the  sea  of  30  feet,  has  an 
annual  average  temperature  of  60.48°,  and  an  average  fall  of  rain  of 
between  eighteen  and  nineteen  inches,  while  Coif  ax,  with  an  elevation  of 
two  thousand  four  hundred  and  twenty-one  feet,  has  an  annual  average 
temperature  of  60.50°,  and  an  average  annual  rainfall  of  from  forty-two  to 
forty-three  inches.  This  uniformity  of  temperature  and  increase  of  rain- 
fall appears  to  be  the  law  throughout  the  whole  extent  of  the  foothills  of 
the  Sierra,  with  this  variation  as  relates  to  temperature,  viz.:  as  latitude  is 
decreased  the  temperature  of  the  valley  is  continued  to  a  proportionally 
greater  elevation.  To  illustrate,  approximately:  if  the  temperature  of 
.Redding,  at  the  northern  end  of  the  valley,  is  continued  up  the  foothills  to 
a  height  of  two  thousand  feet,  then  the  temperature  of  Sacramento,  in  the 
center  of  the  valley,  would  be  continued  up  to  two  thousand  five  hundred 
feet,  and  that  of  Sumner,  in  the  extreme  southern  end  of  the  valley,  up  to 
three  thousand  feet.  The  increase  of  rainfall  on  the  foothills  in  the  lati- 
tude of  Sacramento,  due  to  elevation,  is  about  one  inch  to  each  one  hun- 
dred feet.  South  from  Sacramento  the  proportion  decreases  until,  at 
Sumner,  the  increase  due  to  elevation  is  but  half  an  inch  to  each  one  hun- 
dred feet.  This  is  shown  by  the  record  kept  at  Fort  Tejon,  in  the  Tehachapi 
Mountains  near  Sumner,  at  an  elevation  of  three  thousand  two  hundred 
and  forty  teet,  where  the  annual  rainfall  is  between  nineteen  and  twenty 
inches.  There  is  no  record  kept  at  any  point  in  the  hills  above  Redding, 
but  probably  in  this  latitude  the  increase  due  to  elevation  is  about  one  and 
a  half  (1^)  inches  to  each  hundred  feet.  The  increase  of  precipitation  on 
the  hills  at  the  northern  end  of  the  valley  gives  greater  density  to  the  for- 
ests, and  permits  them  to  grow  at  lower  elevations  than  in  the  southern 
end  of  the  valley.  At  the  same  time  the  difference  in  temperature  is  so 
small  that  the  character  of  the  vegetation  of  the  hills  at  each  end  of  the 
valley  is  not  dissimilar.  The  trees  found  in  the  vicinity  of  Redding,  at 
the  northern  end  of  the  valley,  below  an  elevation  of  five  hundred  feet,  are 
not  found  at  the  southern  end  until  we  pass  Caliente,  at  an  elevation  of 
one  thousand  three  hundred  feet.  It  would  seem  that  the  temperature  of 
the  valley  prevails  up  the  Sierra  to  an  elevation  that  equals  the  height  of  the 

COAST    RANGE    OF   MOUNTAINS. 

If  a  line  were  drawn  parallel  to  the  surface  of  the  ocean  from  the  top  of 
the  Coast  Range,  east,  until  it  met  the  flanks  of  the  Sierra,  it  would  mark  a 
level  on  the  Sierra  below  which  the  temperature  would  not  materially  differ 
from  that  in  the 

SACRAMENTO  VALLEY. 

This  fact  is  probably  to  be  ascribed  to  the  prevailing  southwest  return 
trade  winds  which  blow  over  the  State  from  the  ocean  for  more  than  three 


57 

hundred  days  in  the  year.  Passing  the  summits  of  the  Coast  Range,  but 
small  portions  descend  into  the  valley;  the  remainder  reach  the  sides  of 
the  Sierra  at  about  the  level  of  the  summits  they  have  passed. 

ARBOREAL   VEGETATION. 

At  the  northern  end  of  the  valley,  at  an  elevation  of  five  hundred  feet 
above  the  sea,  the  most  of  the  California  oaks  are  found;  of  pines,  only  the 
nut  or  digger  pine;  the  buckeye  and  chemisal.  This  is  the  characteristic 
arboreal  vegetation  throughout  all  these  three  hundred  and  fifty  miles.  Its 
presence  everywhere  shows  increased  rainfall  over  the  valley,  and  similar- 
ity of  temperature  to  that  of  the  valley.  Our  pasture  oak  is  found  at  lower 
elevations  in  the  valley,  but  always  on  moist  land  or  near  river  courses, 
proving  that  it  demands,  in  addition  to  temperature,  the  increased  moist- 
ure. In  the  southern  end  of  the  valley  this  vegetation  prevails  at  higher 
elevations,  because  it  there  finds  the  proper  temperature  and  moisture. 
Wherever,  on  the  foothills,  any  of  the  trees  named  constitute  the  prepon- 
derant arboreal  vegetation,  it  is  an  evidence  that  the  temperature  is  the 
same  as  that  of  the  valley,  and  plants  that  can  be  successfully  grown  in 
the  valley  can  be  grown  to  as  high  an  elevation  on  the  hills  as  these  trees 
abound.  If  one  tree  were  to  be  taken  as  the  evidence  of  this  uniformity  of 
temperature,  it  would  be  the  Sabin's  (the  nut  or  Digger)  pine.  It  is  never 
seen  in  the  valley  or  on  the  hills  below  an  elevation  of  about  four  hundred 
feet.  It  is  not  found  at  a  higher  elevation  than  that  in  which  the  temper- 
ature is  the  same  as  that  of  the  valley.  It  is  never  found  in  groves,  but 
singly,  among  other  trees,  yet  it  prevails  throughout  these  three  hundred 
and  fifty  miles  of  foothills.  While  the  vegetation  is  more  dense  on  the  hills 
at  the  northern  end  of  the  valley,  due  to  increased  precipitation,  there  are 
also  local  differences — where  there  is  similarity  of  soil — due  to  exposure. 
Throughout  all  the  lower  hills,  the  greatest  number  of  trees  is  found  on 
gently  sloping  eastern,  northeastern,  and  northern  hillsides,  which  necessa- 
rily are  more  moist  and  cool.  The  southern  aspects  contain  less  trees, 
because  exposed  to  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun  and  to  the  full  force  of  the 
prevailing  winds. 

CROPS    SUITABLE    FOR   CULTIVATION. 

Every  agricultural  product  that  can  be  grown  in  the  valleys,  including 
the  semi-tropical  fruits,  can  be  grown  with  equal  facility  in  these  foothills. 
Ordinarily  the  land  has  to  be  cleared  of  the  trees  found  upon  it,  and  cul- 
tivation must  be  continuous,  for  on  the  whole  western  face  of  the  Sierra  the 
native  trees,  when  cut  or  burned  down,  are  rapidly  replaced  by  a  new  growth 
of  the  same  kind.  These  lands  are  found  to  have  all  of  the  requisites  for 
the  successful  growth  of  orchards.  Fruit  trees  thrive  better  upon  them  than 
on  the  lands  of  the  valley.  None  of  the  many  theories  advanced  as  to  the 
cause  of  the  treeless  condition  of  many  plains  and  prairies  having  ample 
rainfall,  seem  to  be  entirely  satisfactory,  but  experience  has  demonstrated 
that  orchards  grow  best  and  thrive  with  less  artificial  aid  on  lands  that  in 
a  natural  condition  are  covered  with  trees.  The  increasing  exports  of 
small  fruits,  such  as  strawberries,  blackberries,  and  raspberries,  from  the 
vicinity  of  Newcastle  and  Auburn,  and  their  superior  size  and  quality, 
prove  that  this  region  is  better  adapted  to  their  culture  than  any  place  yet 
found  on  the  level  lands  of  the  valley.  The  peaches  of  Coloma  have  a 
State  reputation  for  flavor  and  size.  The  apples  of  Nevada  and  George- 
town, are  equal  in  size,  taste,  and  keeping  qualities  to  the  best  imported 
from  Oregon. 


58 


OROVILLE  ORANGES. 

The  Oroville  oranges  have  been  pronounced  equal  to  the  best  from  Los 
Angeles. 

The  vine  grows  with  luxuriance,  and  bears  abundantly  wherever  it  has 
been  planted  throughout  all  this  region. 

"  The  wines  of  Coloma  have  more  than  a  local  reputation.  Persons  com- 
petent to  judge  assert  that  wine  from  grapes  grown  on  the  foothills  is  free 
from  the  earthy  taste  that  characterizes  much  of  the  wine  of  the  flat  land 
of  the  valleys.  They  also  express  the  belief  that  if  ever  wine  is  to  be  made 
in  California  as  light  as  that  from  the  Rhine,  and  as  free  from  alcohol,  the 
grapes  will  be  grown  in  the  higher  elevation  of  the  foothills,  where  snow 
falls  and  remains  on  the  ground  a  few  weeks  each  season.  It  is  said  that 
the  long  Summers  and  great  heat  of  the  valleys  develop  the  saccharine 
matter  in  the  grape,  which  by  fermentation  is  converted  into  alcohol." 

I  will  annex  to  this  excellent  article  of  Mr.  Redding's  on  the  climate 
and  capabilities  of  the  Sacramento  Valley  and  foothills,  a  table  of  mean 
temperatures,  maximum  and  minimum  temperatures,  clear,  fair,  and 
cloudy  days,  average  cloudiness,  and  rainfall  for  the  four  seasons  of  the 
year,  taken  from  the  annual  report  of  the  Chief  Signal  Officer  for  the  year 
1884.  These  seasonal  means,  etc.,  are  calculated  from  observations  of  from 
seven  to  ten  years,  and  give  a  better  average  than  if  they  were  only  for 
one  year.  The  headings  of  the  tables  will  explain  themselves  and  are  as 
follows: 

SAN  DIEGO. 

Mean  temperature,  maximum  and  minimum  temperature,  clear,  fair, 
and  cloudy  days,  average  cloudiness,  in  tenths,  and  rainfall,  by  seasons: 


SAN  DIEGO. 

Spring. 

Summer. 

Autumn. 

Winter. 

Average  Highest,  Lowest,  and 
Annual. 

Mean  temperature  .     

58.1 

66.7 

62.7 

54.4 

Annu- 

Maximum temperature.  .. 
Minimum  temperature  .  .  . 
Clear  days 

99.0 

38.0 
269 

94.0 
51.0 
243 

101.0 
38.0 
380 

82.6 
32.0 
335 

al  average  temperature,  60.5. 
..  Highest  temperature,  101.0. 
Lowest  temperature,  32.0. 
Annu- 

Fair days 

367 

48.2 

36.5 

33.7 

al  number  clear  days,  122.7. 
Annu- 

Cloudv days 

284 

195 

16.5 

23.0 

al  number   fair  days,  155.1. 
Annu- 

Average   cloudiness,    in 
tenths 

48 

46 

37 

41 

al  number  cloudy  days,  87.4. 
Annual  aver- 

Kainfall.. 

1.91 

.30 

1.24 

6.06 

age  cloudiness,  in  tenths,  4.3. 
Annual  average  rainfall,  9.51. 

59 


LOS  ANGELES. 


Mean  temperature,  maximum  and  minimum  temperature,  clear,  fair, 
and  cloudy  days,  average  cloudiness,  in  tenths,  and  rainfall,  by  seasons: 


Los  ANGELES. 

Spring. 

Summer. 

Autumn. 

Winter. 

Averages,  Highest,  Lowest,  and 
Annual  Totals. 

584 

67.6 

62.7 

53.5 

Annu- 

Maximum temperature  .- 
Minimum  temperature.  .. 

100.0 
35.3 
362 

106.0 
47.0 
34.9 

108.0 
34.2 
52.3 

88.2 
28.0 
47.9 

al  average  temperature,  60.6. 
..Highest  temperature,  108.0. 
Lowest  temperature,  28.0. 
_  Annual 

351 

506 

3^5 

266 

number     clear    days,    171.3. 
Annual 

'Cloudy  days 

207 

6.5 

6.2 

15.7 

number     fair      days,    144.8. 
.  Annual 

Average    cloudiness,    in 
tenths 

4.3 

3.4 

2.5 

3.4 

number    cloudy    days,   49.1. 
...Annual  aver- 

Eainfall             -- 

4.28 

.02 

1.57 

8.86 

age  cloudiness,  in  tenths,  3.4. 
Annual  average  rainfall,  14.73. 

SAN   FRANCISCO. 


Mean  temperature,  maximum  and  minimum  temperature,  clear,  fair, 
and  cloudy  days,  average  cloudiness,  in  tenths,  and  rainfall,  by  seasons: 


SAN  FRANCISCO. 

Spring. 

Summer. 

Autumn. 

Winter. 

Annual  Averages,  Highest,  Lowest, 
and  Annual  Total. 

Mean,  temperature 

546 

584 

582 

514 

Annu- 

Maximum temperature.  .. 
Minimum  temperature  
'Clear  davs 

86.0 
39.0 
392 

95.2 
48.0 
237 

92.0 
41.0 
300 

70.5 
34.0 
347 

al  average  temperature,  55.6. 
.  .  .  Highest  temperature,  95.2. 
Lowest  temperature,  34.0. 
Annual 

Fair  days 

32.9 

46.8 

34.9 

29.5 

number    clear   days,    127.6. 
Annual 

•Cloudy  days 

199 

215 

261 

260 

number     fair     days,    144.1. 
Annual 

Average    cloudiness,   in 
tenths  .  .  _  _  . 

4.1 

42 

3.1 

4.6 

number   cloudy    days,   93.5. 
Annual  aver- 

Rainfall 

539 

18 

398 

1408 

age  cloudiness,  in  tenths,  4.0. 
Annual  average  rainfall  23  63. 

SACRAMENTO. 


Mean  temperature,  maximum  and  minimum  temperature,  clear,  fair, 
.and  cloudy  days,  average  cloudiness,  in  tenths,  and  rainfall,  by  seasons: 


SACRAMENTO. 

Spring. 

Summer. 

Autumn. 

Winter. 

Annual  Averages,  Highest,  Lowest, 
and  Annual  Totals. 

Mean  temperature 

59.5 

717 

615 

483 

Annual 

Maximum  temperature.  .. 
Minimum  temperature  
•Clear  days... 

98.0 
29.0 
50.7 

105.0 

48.0 
85.1 

101.0 
27.0 
68.2 

73.5 
21.0 
38.0 

average     temperature,    60.2. 
.  .  .  Highest  temperature,  105.0. 
Lowest  temperature,  21.0. 
.  Annual 

Fair  days 

25.5 

62 

158 

26.4 

number  of  clear  days,  242.0. 
Annual 

Cloudy  days 

158 

07 

70 

258 

number  of    fair   days,  73.9. 
Annual 

Average     cloudiness,    in 
tenths  

3.2 

0.7 

18 

4.2 

number  of  cloudy  days,  49.3. 
Annual  aver- 

Rainfall   

5.22 

17 

292 

1152 

age  cloudiness,  in  tenths,  2.5. 
Annual  average  rainfall,  19.83. 

60 


RED   BLUFF. 


Mean  temperature,  maximum  and  minimum  temperature,  clear,  fair, 
and  cloudy  days,  average  cloudiness,  in  tenths,  and  rainfall,  by  seasons: 


KED  BLUFF. 

Spring. 

Summer. 

Autumn. 

Winter. 

Annual    Average,  Highest,  Lowest, 
and  Annual  Totals. 

Mean  temperature 

600 

80.2 

63.5 

47.0 

Annual 

Maximum  temperature.  .. 
Minimum  temperature 

101.4 

28.0 

110.5 
47.0 

106.0 
26.0 

80.0 
19.0 

average     temperature,    62.3. 
..  Highest  temperature,  110.5. 
Lowest  temperature,  19. 

Clear  days 

43.2 

80.6 

65.3 

37.0 

.  Annual 

Fair  days 

297 

103 

16.6 

27.2 

number  of  clear  days,  226.1. 
Annual 

Cloudy  days 

191 

1  1 

91 

260 

number    of    fair    days,  83.8. 
Annual 

Average     cloudiness,    in 
tenths 

38 

1.0 

2.1 

4.5 

number  of  cloudy  days,  55.3. 
Average  an- 

Rainfall    

7.08 

.21 

4.44 

17.12 

nual  cloudiness,  in  tenths,  2.8. 
Annual  average  rainfall,  28.85. 

OROVILLE,    CALIFORNIA. 


The  following  table  of  mean  temperature,  maximum  and  minimum  tem- 
peratures, clear,  fair,  foggy,  cloudy,  and  rainy  days,  and  the  rainfall  for 
each  month  of  the  year  1885,  at  Oroville,  California,  was  furnished  by  Mr. 
Hiram  Arents,  Voluntary  Observer  of  the  Signal  Service,  U.  S.  Army,  viz.: 


>$ 

y* 

S»| 

.1 

| 

M 

Cj 

1 

9 

03 

Q 

O*   • 
2 

fed 

£. 

1885. 

a  ° 

til 

3  0 

H 

a 

*S 

11 

B 

B 

3 

i 

i 

1 

OD 

1 

q 

1 

& 
V; 

| 

VS 

tt 

B 

| 

R. 

1 

& 

Ig 

•72^ 

§ 

§ 

! 

& 

PP 

!   > 

€ 

T3 

1 

1 

1 

to 

I 

I   < 

! 

! 

! 

431 

603 

54  2 

522 

74 

34 

6 

2.10 

February 

482 

671 

621 

59.2 

70 

38 

3 

.73 

March 

53  1 

722 

701 

682 

86 

46 

1 

.25 

April  

57.5 

72.0 

65.1 

64.7 

84 

42 

13 

6 

1 

11 

9 

1.64 

May 

61.3 

79.3 

73.0 

72.1 

93 

52 

24 

3 

0 

4 

3 

.65 

June 

62.2 

80.1 

74.2 

73.0 

90 

57 

21 

4 

0 

5 

2 

.69 

Julv 

67.2 

88.1 

81.1 

78.8 

90 

60 

31 

0 

0 

0 

1 

sprk'l 

August  

70.0 

92.0 

83.1 

82.1 

105 

63 

25 

4 

0 

2 

0 

none 

September  ... 
October  

65.0 
59.1 

86.0 
81.0 

76.7 
69.2 

76.1 
69.2 

97 
04 

56 

52 

25 
21 

2 

4 

0 
0 

3 
6 

1 
1 

.20 

sprk'l 

November  

53.0 

62.2 

56.1 

57.1 

74 

42 

7 

2 

2 

21 

18 

11.27 

December  

47.2 

61.2 

52.0 

53.0 

75 

37 

15 

1 

3 

15 

9 

5.53 

Annual  aver- 

ages... 

57.24 

75.12 

68.07 

67.16 

86.75 

48.25 

*182 

•28 

*6 

*(i7 

54 

23.06 

*  Total  number  of  days  for  nine  months  only. 


61 


METEOROLOGICAL  REPORT  FOR  JANUARY,  1884,  1885,  1886,  AT 
OROVILLE,-  CALIFORNIA. 


By  H.  ARENTS,  Voluntary  Observer,  Signal  Service,  U.  S.  A. 


January,  1884. — Mean  temperature  for  this  month  was  50.45°;  the  low- 
est temperature  was  35°  on  the  18th;  highest  on  the  5th,  70°.  Maximum 
temperature  for  the  month  was  54.04°;  minimum,  42.17°;  but  one  frost  this 
month,  and  very  light,  on  the  18th. 

January,  1885. — Mean  temperature,  52.23°;  the  highest  recorded  for  the 
month  occurred  on  the  25th,  74°;  lowest  on  the  24th,  34°.  The  minimum 
temperature  as  recorded  for  the  month  at  6:30  A.  M.,  43.09°;  maximum 
recorded  at  2  p.  M.,  60.26°,  and  at  8:30  p.  M.,  54.19°;  light  frost  on  the  24th. 

January,  1886. — Mean  temperature,  48.18°;  the  highest  was  recorded  on 
the  27th,  66°;  lowest  on  the  6th,  29°.  Minimum  for  the  month,  recorded 
at  6:30  A.  M.,  was  42.18°;  maximum,  at  2  p.  M.,  54.14°;  and  at  8:30  p.  M., 
48.22°.  From  the  above  comparison,  last  month  was  the  coldest  of  the  three 
mentioned.  January,  1884,  was  2.15°,  and  January,  1885,  4.07°  higher  tem- 
perature than  1886. 

On  the  1st  of  January  a  cold  wave  passed  over  California  and  continued 
fourteen  days.  During  this  cold  spell  the  thermometer  for  each  morning 
at  6:30  A.  M.  was  standing  on  the  1st,  4th,  5th,  8th,  10th,  12th,  at  32°;  on 
2d,  7th,  31°;  3d,  34°;  6th,  29°;  llth,  40°.  Ten  of  these  days  ice  formed 
from  a  sixteenth  to  quarter  of  an  inch  in  thickness.  In  the  orchard  and 
nursery  of  Gardella  Bros.,  of  Oroville,  out  of  one  thousand  yearlings  and 
five  hundred  three-year-old  Lott's  seedling  orange  trees,  not  one  of  them  was 
injured  by  this  severe  test,  notwithstanding  every  morning  they  were 
heavily  coated  with  white  frost.  Mean  barometer  for  this  month  was 
30-02.50°;  the  extreme  was,  on  the  2d,  30.36°;  and  29.42°  on  the  18th.  Pre- 
vailing wind  was  southeast;  15  days  southeast;  12  northwest;  2  west  and 
2  east;  15  days  cloudy;  11  clear;  2  fair;  3  foggy.  It  rained  on  the  13th, 
14th,  17th,  18th,  19th,  20th,  22d,  23d,  25th,  26th,  and  sprinkled  on  the 
12th;  rainfall  for  the  month  5.17  inches.  From  July  1st  to  December  31st, 
rainfall  was  17  inches;  total  to  February,  22.17  inches.  From  July  1st  to 
December  31,  1884,  the  -rainfall  was  13.73  inches,  and  January,  1885,  2.10 
inches.  Total  last  season  to  date,  15.83  inches.  Excess  of  the  present  sea- 
son over  last,  6.34  inches. 


STORMS  ON  THE  PACIFIC  COAST  OF  AMERICA. 


[From  the  Annual  Report  of  the  Chief  Signal  Officer.] 

The  storms  of  the  Pacific  Coast  most  resemble  those  of  western  Europe, 
than  the  storms  which  frequent  the  eastern  coast  of  the  United  States. 
The  latter  move  littorally,  and  follow  a  northerly  and  easterly  course  under 
the  thermo-dynamic  influence  of  the  .Gulf  Stream  and  the  mechanical 
agency  of  the  great  southwest  equatorial  current  of  atmosphere,  which 
remarkably  coincides  with  the  oceanic  Gulf  Stream. 
6 


62 

But  on  the  Pacific  side  of  our  continent,  the  storm-controlling  forces  act 
in  a  direction  from  west  to  east,  especially  upon  the  coasts  of 

CALIFORNIA, 

Oregon,  and  Washington.  The  warm  Kuro  Siwo,  or  Japan  stream  of  the 
great  ocean,  after  reaching  the  middle  latitudes,  on  the  way  to  the  Aleu- 
tian Islands,  is  superficially  brought  under  the  propelling  power  of  the 
westerly  or  anti-trade  winds,  and  a  large  drift  of  this  Pacific  Gulf  Stream 
is  borne  eastward  as  a  decidedly  marked  warm  stratum  of  surface  water, 
and  strikes  upon  the  western  shores  of  America  nearly  at  right  angles. 
This  agency,  as  well  as  that  of  the  general  atmospheric  movement  on  our 
Pacific  Coast,  serves  to  give  character  and  direction  to  the  storms  and 
cyclones  which  reach  it,  no  doubt,  from  the  western  Pacific  Ocean. 

From  San  Diego  to  the  Straits  of  Juan  De  Fuca,  from  December  to  April, 
the  storms  of  the 

PACIFIC  COAST 

Set  in,  with  southeasterly  winds,  veering  as  the  storm  center  progresses,  to 
southwesterly.  The  closing  winds  from  the  north  of  west  are  very  severe, 
and,  as  they  blow  onto  the  lee  shore,  are  to  be  apprehended  by  vessels, 
even  though  in  port.  Instances  are  not  wanting  in  which  vessels  have  been 
sunk  in  the  Pacific  ports  of  America  by  these  gales  from  the  west.  These 
southeasterly  gales  are  more  frequent  and  violent  north  of  San  Diego,  and 
thence  along  the  coast  to 

BRITISH   COLUMBIA. 

This  can  be  easily  understood  from  the  fact,  as  established  by  Blodget, 
that  the  humidity  and  rainfall  of  the  region  stretching  from  San  Francisco 
northward  to  Vancouver  Island  are  nearly  three  times  as  great  as  of  that 
south  of  San  Francisco.  Unless  forced  by  other  causes  to  deviate  from  the 
regions  of  greatest  humidity,  we  know  storms  seek  or  are  drawn  into  such 
regions  for  their  necessary  supply  of  aqueous  vapor.  On  the  Pacific  Coast 
there  are  no  other  known  agencies  which  would  cause  such  deviation.  It 
follows,  therefore,  that  the  ports  of 

SAN   FRANCISCO, 

And  Portland,  Oregon,  and  the  waters  of  the  adjacent  sounds,  are  more 
endangered  by  storms  than  San  Diego  or  those  points  along  the  coast 
between  San  Diego  and  San  Francisco.  In  Summer  the  latter  port  is  so 
far  south  of  the  usual  storm  track  that  it  is  comparatively  safe ;  but  it  is 
otherwise  from  December  to  April.  The  northeasterly  wind,  which  on  the 
Atlantic  seaboard  is  often  a  violent  premonitor  of  a  storm,  on  the  California 
coast  and  northward  does  not  precede,  but  follows  the  cyclone  in  its  closing 
northwest  quadrant,  and  is  usually  of  moderate  force. 

After  striking  the  Pacific  Coast  the  storm  will  generally  advance  with 
but  little  diminution  of  cyclonic  intensity,  but  with  diminished  progressive 
motion,  in  a  direction  east-northeast.  The  violence  of  the  storm  will  not 
cease  till  the  center  has  passed  beyond  the 

COAST    RANGE    MOUNTAINS. 

The  great  upper  current  or  stratum  of  warm  and  moist  equatorial  atmos- 
phere, which  in  England  has  been  observed  to  move  in  a  southwest  direction, 


63 

is  on  our  Pacific  Coast  less  meridianal  in  its  course,  and  pushes  more 
toward  the  east,  especially  north  of  the  parallel  of  48°  north  latitude, 
where  it  is  favored  in  this  more  easterly  direction  by  the  orographic  features 
of  the  continent,  which  are  less  elevated  and  bold  than  they  are  south  of 
this  parallel.  Vessels  sailing  south  from  San  Diego  to  Mexican  ports  are 
peculiarly  exposed  from  June  to  November  from  severe  gales,  beginning 
generally  at  southeast  or  southwest.  These  southeast  gales  may  be  looked 
for  in  still  greater  severity  and  frequency,  especially  during  Winter  and  the 
equinoctial  seasons,  all  the  way  from  San  Diego  to  the  Straits  of 

JUAN   DE    FUCA, 

And  attended  with  thick,  rainy  weather.  Vessels  sailing  northward  to  San 
Diego  from  Mexican  and  southerly  ports,  should  they  encounter  a  gale 
moving  up  the  coast,  should  stand  off  for  the  starboard  tack,  thus  getting 
the  eastward  winds  of  the  cyclone,  which  removes  the  danger  of  going 
ashore. 

RECURVATION   OF    STOtfM-PATHS   IN   THE  EASTERN   PACIFIC. 

Mr.  William  C.  Redfield,  on  cyclones  on  the  Western  Pacific,  says: 
Most  of  the  cyclones  which  I  have  last  described,  however,  must  have  been 
recurvated  in  a  more  advanced  position  in  the  Pacific  Ocean,-  and  in  their 
subsequent  northeasterly  progress  they  would  fall  almost  perpendicularly 
upon  the  coasts  of  the  two  Californias,  or  the  more  northern  Territories. 
Thus,  instead  of  sweeping  a  great  length  of  these  coasts  successively,  as 
happens  on  our  Atlantic  border,  these  cyclones  appear  more  like  local 
storms,  and  can  not  be  traced  consecutively  on  the  coast  line.  At  the  point 
of  intersection  with  the  coast,  the  first  and  main  portion  of  the  gale  will  be 
felt  from  the  southeast,  on  the  center  path,  or  more  southerly  in  the  right 
hand  quadrants;  and  near  the  coast  the  northeasterly  or  reflex  winds  of 
the  cyclone,  pertaining  to  its  first  left  hand  quadrant,  will  not  be  strongly 
developed. 

From  Cape  San  Lucas,  23°,  to  San  Diego,  32°  north  latitude,  the  coast  is 
subject  to  violent  gales  from  the  southeast  from  November  to  April,  and 
that  they  are  more  frequent  as  we  go  toward  San  Diego.  Before  their 
recurvation  these  cyclones  are  likely  to  have  passed  westward  in  lower 
latitudes  than  those  which  fall  on  the  Mexican  Coast. 

From  San  Diego  to  San  Francisco  the  coast  is  subject  to  southeasterly 
gales,  like  those  of  the  coast  of  Lower  California,  but  they  are  more 
frequent  here,  and  blow  with  greater  force.  These  gales  last  from  twelve 
hours  to  two  days,  and  are  accompanied  by  heavy  rain,  which  lasts  till  the 
wind  changes,  which  it  often  does  very  suddenly,  and  blows  as  hard  for  a 
few  hours  from  the  northwest,  when  the  clouds  clear  off  and  fine  weather 
again  succeeds.  This  is  a  clear  description  of  the  phenomena  of  cyclones, 
as  shown  on  their  center  paths,  while  moving  in  a  northeasterly  course. 

From  San  Francisco  to  the  Straits  of  Juan  De  Fuca,  hard  gales  from  all'' 
points  of  the  compass  may  be  looked  for  at  all  seasons.  These  begin^en- 
erally  from  southeast  to  southwest,  bringing  thick  rainy  weather  with 
them.  After  blowing  from  these  quarters  for  some  hours,  they  fly  round 
to  the  northward,  by  the  west,  with  little  if  any  warning,  and  blow  even 
harder  than  before.  These  dhanges  show  the  observer  to  have  been  in 
the  right  hand  quadrants  of  the  gale,  as  most  often  will  happen,  and  are 
but  counterparts  of  the  changes  met  with  in  the  cyclones  encountered  in 
the  same  latitude  in  the  north  Atlantic. 


64 


THE  NORTHERLY  WINDS  OF  CALIFORNIA. 


By  J.  H.  C.  BONTE,  Secretary  of  the  University  of  California. 


A  frank  and  fair  discussion  of  the  northerly  winds  of  California  is  much 
needed.  The  first  necessary  step  in  this  investigation  is  a  correct  knowl- 
edge of  the  topography  of  the  valley  in  which  these  winds  prevail. 

TOPOGRAPHY. 

The  great  central  valley  of  California,  known  under  the  names  of  Sac- 
ramento and  San  Joaquin,  heads  at  Redding  in  the  north,  and  extends  to 
Tehachapi  Pass,  in  the  south — a  distance  of  four  hundred  and  fifty  miles, 
with  an  average  width  of  about  forty-five  miles. 

The  Sierra  Nevada  Range  of  mountains  bound  this  valley  on  the  east 
with  a  continuous  wall,  which  has  an  average  elevation  of  about  six  thou- 
sand feet,  and  an  average  width  of  about  eighty  miles.  This  range  is  well 
timbered  from  the  foothills  to  the  summit.  It  has  a  heavy  Winter  snow- 
fall, which  remains  on  the  highest  points  during  the  whole  year,  and  feeds 
the  valley  rivers  during  the  Summer.  There  is  no  Summer  rainfall  on 
this  or  any  other  mountain  range  in  California. 

The  valley  is  bounded  on  the  west  by  the  Coast  Range  mountains,  a 
range  with  but  one  gap — that  at  San  Francisco — which  is  about  half  way 
between  the  north  and  the  south  end  of  the  valley.  The  average  elevation 
of  this  range  is  about  two  thousand  five  hundred  feet,  and  its  average 
breadth  about  forty  miles.  This  range  is  poorly  timbered  on  its  eastern 
slope,  is  rarely  covered  with  snow,  and  then  only  for  a  very  short  time. 
The  winds  of  the  Pacific  Ocean  pile  up  great  fog  banks  on  the  western 
slope  now  and  then,  keeping  the  air  on  the  ocean  side  moderately  cool. 

These  two  ranges  are  united  at  the  north  end  of  the  valley  by  other 
ranges,  which  are  thus  described  by  Rev.  E.  L.  Greene:  "  There  are  sev- 
eral mountain  ranges  in  the  north  end  of  the  State  running  in  different 
directions.  The  Siskiyou  Range,  which  is  largely  in  the  State  of  Oregon, 
runs  mostly  east  and  west,  and  averages  about  eight  thousand  feet  in  alti- 
tude. From  Mount  Shasta,  running  in  a  northwesterly  direction,  is  a  high 
range,  separating  Shasta  Valley  from  the  lava  beds.  Another  high  range 
runs  from  the  southwest  base  of  Mount  Shasta  in  a  westerly  direction. 
Between  these  more  conspicuous  ranges  are  lower  ranges,  cutting  up  the 
whole  region  in  a  succession  of  mountains  and  valleys.  The  mountains, 
on  their  northwest  slopes,  are  here  and  there  densely  timbered,  at  an  eleva- 
tion of  three  thousand  and  four  thousand  feet.  Below  three  thousand  feet, 
the  southward  and  eastward  slopes  are  naked,  or  clothed  only  with  chap- 
arral. The  country  is  not  well  watered:  the  rivers  dry  up  in  June.  The 
soil  is  in  many  places  of  volcanic  origin.  The  lava  beds  contain  some 
small  lakes;  the  larger  Klamath  lakes  are  on  their  borders.  The  eleva- 
tion of  the  lava  beds  is  over  two  thousand  feet." 

George  M.  Gray,  Chief  Engineer  of  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad, 
informs  me  that  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains  and  the  Coast  Range  are 
united  at  the  south  end  of  the  valley  by  a  continuous  range  of  mountains 
running  east  and  west.  This  cross  range,  at  Tehachapi  Pass,  reaches  an 
elevation  of  over  four  thousand  feet.  It  is  poorly  timbered,  and  the  sur- 


65 

face  is  principally  covered  with  decomposed  granite.  This  great  valley  is 
separated  from  the  Bays  of  San  Francisco  and  San  Pablo  by  the  Diablo 
Range,  which  extends  from  the  Straits  of  Carquinez  in  a  southeasterly 
direction  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  where  it  terminates  in  low 
ridges  running  out  into  the  San  Joaquin  plain.  This  range  has  an  average 
elevation  of  about  two  thousand  feet,  an  average  width  of  about  twenty 
miles,  and  is  poorly  timbered;  indeed,  almost  nude. 

Livermore  Pass,  in  this  range,  has  an  elevation  of  six  hundred  and 
eighty-six  feet,  and  Pacheco  Pass,  one  thousand  four  hundred  and  seventy 
feet. 

The  trend  of  the  valley,  and  all  its  walls,  is  southeasterly. 

THIS   LONG   VALLEY,    THUS   WALLED   IN, 

Is  veined  by  several  considerable  streams:  the  Sacramento,  Pitt,  Feather, 
Yuba,  American,  Cosumnes,  Mokelumne,  Calaveras,  San  Joaquin,  Kings, 
White,  and  the  Kern,  all  of  which  come  out  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  Moun- 
tains. The  two  great  rivers,  the  Sacramento  and  the  San  Joaquin,  head 
in  opposite  directions,  but  approach  and  unite  at  Suisun  Bay,  through 
which  they  empty  into  the  Straits  of  Carquinez  at  San  Pablo  Bay.  The 
Coast  Range  mountains  contribute  but  little  water  to  this  valley,  save  in 
the  Winter.  The  south  end  of  the  valley  contains  two  or  three  small  lakes, 
and  several  of  the  rivers  are  fringed  by  inconsiderable  marshes.  The 
valley  is  nearly  level  throughout  its  length,  and  has  an  elevation  of  about 
two  hundred  feet.  This  even  surface  is  broken  only  by  the  Marysville 
Buttes,  which  rise  abruptly  out  of  the  plain.  This  is  a  range  of  volcanic 
hills  about  six  miles  wide  and  twelve  in  length,  with  three  peaks.  The 
valley  is  generally  bare  of  native  trees,  though  the  oak  grows  to  some 
extent  throughout.  The  substratum  of  the  valley  is  a  deposit  of  gravel 
and  sand,  with  a  depth  of  about  two  thousand  feet.  The  surface  soil  is 
sand  and  dissolved  volcanic  material,  mixed  with  vegetable  mold.  This 
great  underlying  bed  of  sand  and  gravel  is  always  thoroughly  saturated 
with  water  to  within  a  few  feet  of  the  surface.  The  Winter  rains  saturate 
the  surface  soil  until  the  two  moistures  meet;  but  the  Spring  and  Summer 
evaporation  dries  the  soil  to  an  average  depth  of  about  two  feet,  leaving 
the  upper  surface  cracked,  dry,  and  hard,  drying  every  kind  of  vegetation 
that  does  not  extend  its  roots  to  the  moisture  below,  or  receive  water  from 
irrigation. 

The  soil  at  the  south  end  of  the  valley  is  very  largely  composed  of  sand, 
gravel,  and  hardpan,  substances  capable  of  absorbing  and  containing  vast 
accumulations  of  heat. 

We  have  now  before  us  a  general  view  of  the  topography  of  the  valley 
in  which  the  northerly  winds  move. 

In  studying  the  meteorology  of  this  valley,  we  would  naturally  expect 
the  ratification  of  the  valley  atmosphere  to  draw  in  the  cold  air  from  the 
Pacific  Ocean,  through  the  Golden  Gate,  the  Diablo  passes,  and  the  Straits 
of  Carquinez. 

But  the  Diablo  Range,  the  narrowness  of  the  Golden  Gate  and  the  Straits 
of  Carquinez,  and  the  elevation  of  the  Diablo  passes,  seem  to  prevent  the 
extensive  and  ready  influx  of  ocean  air,  until  certain  contingencies  occur, 
which  enable  the  ocean  winds  to  overcome  these  obstacles.  In  the  mean- 
time, the  only  winds  that  visit  the  valley  are  the  northwestern  winds,  of 
which  we  are  now  writing.  These  northern  winds  are  felt  throughout  the 
valley,  and  to  some  extent  in  San  Francisco,  and  in  Napa  Valley.  As  a 


66 

•general  rule,  they  are  more  virulent  in  the  extreme  north  and  the  extreme 
south  end  of  the  Sacramento  (and  San  Joaquin)  Valleys. 

The  atmosphere  from  the  Golden  Gate,  and  the  three  bays,  seems  to 
modify  the  wind,  ordinarily,  in  the  center  of  the  valley.  The  general  course 
of  these  currents  of  heated  air  is,  of  course,  determined  by  the  trend  of  the 
valley  and  its  walls. 

Without  attempting  an  accurate  statement  of  the  periodic  recurrence  of 
these  winds,  we  may  say  that  the  ordinary  current  returns  about  once  in 
two  weeks.  Hot  blasts  occur  about  ten  times  during  the  year,  while  the 
extremely  vicious  blasts  occur  only  once  in  six  or  eight  years.  We  are, 
however,  without  data  for  the  settlement  of  these  points,  unless  we  can  find 
the  needed  information  in  the  meteorological  records  of  the  Central  Pacific 
Railroad  Company.  Their  continuance  is  from  one  to  thirteen  days, 
and  the  average  about  three  days.  Ordinarily,  the  wind  ceases  at  night, 
and  is  followed  by  a  slight  breeze  from  the  south,  though  frequently  the 
movement  continues  all  night  with  considerable  force.  Counter  currents 
are  not  generally  noticeable  during  the  prevalence  of  the  north  wind. 

THE   ORIGIN   AND   CAUSE   OF   THE   NORTHERLY   WINDS. 

In  discussing  this  point,  we  must  distinguish  between  the  cause  of  these 
winds  and  the  cause  of  their  disagreeable  characteristics.  If  we  are  to 
regard  the  northern  winds  as  special  or  local  winds,  we  must  first  seek  for 
local  causes.  Wind  is,  of  course,  a  certain  quantity  of  air  set  in  motion  by  a 
change  of  equilibrium,  and  this  loss  of  equilibrium  is  produced  by  the  rari- 
fication  of  the  atmosphere.  The  sun's  rays  penetrate  the  atmosphere  at  the 
south  end  of  the  valley,  and  being  incapable  of  returning  to  celestial  space 
through  the  same  medium,  they  leave  their  heat  in  the  sand  and  decom- 
posed granite,  where  it  is  entrapped  and  stored.  This  accumulated  heat 
rarifies  the  air,  which  ascends  and  creates  a  practical  vacuum  at  the  south 
end  of  the  valley.  The  contiguous  air  to  the  northward  then  rushes  in  to 
restore  the  equilibrium,  while  the  heat  in  the  soil  creeps  northward  until 
the  whole  surface  of  the  valley  becomes  heated,  when  we  have  a  practical 
vacuum  four  hundred  and  fifty  miles  long,  with  an  average  width  of  forty- 
five  miles.  The  air  north  of  the  Sacramento  end  of  the  valley  then  rushes 
into  this  long  vacuum,  which  is  more  perfect  at  the  south  end,  and  the 
result  is  our  northerly  winds.  Considering  the  northers  as  local  winds,  this 
is  the  only  explanation  that  science  has  to  offer  as  to  their  origin  and  cause. 
But,  as  the  science  of  meteorology  advances,  we  are  led  to  look  for  more 
general  causes— causes  connected  with  the  general  circulation  of  wind 
currents. 

For  a  long  time  the  cold  southwest  winds  of  France  were  attributed  to 
local  causes,  but  more  thorough  investigation  of  barometric  pressures  in 
Spain,  France,  and  Italy,  during  the  prevalence  of  that  wind,  established 
the  fact  that  it  belonged  to  a  broader  system  of  circulation.  And  it  is 
probable  that  more  extended  observations  of  barometric  pressures  will  con- 
nect our  northers  with  a  wider  system  of  atmospheric  circulation.  As 
having  a  possible  bearing  upon  this  point,  we  note  the  fact  that  the  north- 
westerly winds  of  this  valley  are  sometimes  almost  simultaneous  with  the 
northwesterly  winds  of  the  regions  about  Santa  Barbara.  Hittell,  in  his 
"  Resources  of  California,"  gives  an  account  of  two  such  nearly  coincident 
currents  occurring  at  Stockton  and  Santa  Barbara  in  June,  1859.  It  is 
also  to  be  noted  that,  in  the  Winter  season,  the  southeast  wind,  which 
brings  on  rain,  is  preceded  by  the  northerly  wind,  carrying  southward  the 
rain  clouds  at  a  very  high  altitude.  Further  discussion  on  this  point  must 


OF   TF 

67      (UNIT 

be  postponed  until  we  can  accumulate  facts,  for  theories  without  facts  only 
confuse.  s\\ 

CHARACTERISTIC  S\  OF   THE   NORTHERS. 


t  —  The  northers  are  cool  in  the  Winter  and  early  Spring;  hot  and 
dry  during  the  Summer  and  Fall;  a  very  wet  Winter,  however,  postpones 
the  high  temperature  until  about  the  middle  of  June. 

Second  —  The  speed  of  movement  is  sometimes  very  great,  approximating 
the  rapidity  of  a  gale. 

Third  —  The  evaporating  power  is  very  considerable  at  all  seasons,  though 
greatest  in  the  Summer  and  Fall. 

According  to  my  own  observation  the  north  wind  will  sometimes  evap- 
orate from  a  glass  "goblet  a  full  inch  of  water  in  twenty-four  hours,  while  a 
south  wind  of  equal  force  will  not  evaporate  to  an  appreciable  extent. 

Fourth  —  The  atmosphere  during  the  prevalence  of  a  Summer  and  Fall 
north  wind  is  usually  free  from  clouds,  though  now  and  then  a  very  few 
thin  streaks  of  cirrus  clouds  are  visible.  The  presence  of  distinct  clouds 
in  any  quarter  is  always  prophetic  of  a  subsidence  of  the  northers. 

THE   BAD   EFFECTS   OF   THE   NORTH   WIND. 

I  desire  to  put  upon  record  a  brief  statement  of  some  of  the  evil  effects 
of  the  north  wind,  hoping  that  subsequent  and  more  careful  investigation 
may  enable  me  to  modify  these  statements. 

First  —  The  effect  of  prevailing  northers  upon  the  vegetable  economy. 
These  evil  effects  are  more  noticeable  in  Spring  time  when  everything  is 
tender  and  full  of  sap,  and  less  observable  in  the  Fall  when  the  fibers  have 
become  tough.  A  heavy  Winter  rainfall  which  saturates  the  earth  suffi- 
ciently to  postpone  complete  evaporation,  protects  vegetation  until  it  is 
strong  enough  to  defend  itself,  for  water  seems  to  neutralize  the  wind's  evil 
power.  After  a  dry  Winter  the  north  wind  becomes  extremely  prejudicial 
to  some  forms  of  vegetation.  These  evil  results  are,  however,  modified  by 
protecting  houses,  hills,  fences,  and  trees. 

Dr.  Harkness  reports  that  the  officers  of  the  United  States  Army,  at  the 
Presidio,  succeeded  in  protecting  their  gardens  by  very  simple  fences;  a 
defense  which  would  prove  insufficient  further  north,  away  from  water. 
Yet  it  happens  that  the  side  of  a  tree  next  to  the  wind  is  injured,  while  the 
opposite  side  remains  unharmed.  But  I  prefer  to  give  the  language  of 
practical  observers,  remarking  that  the  facts  now  to  be  mentioned  occurred 
only  during  the  severest  blasts. 

Mr.  Hoagland  —  Apples  are  sometimes  baked  or  burnt  on  the  trees  before 
they  ripen,  on  the  side  toward  the  wind.  This  spot  becomes  hard,  and  a 
dry  rot  sets  in.  The  rest  of  the  apple  ripens,  but  this  spot  remains  hard 
and  woody. 

Josiah  Johnson  —  In  April,  1859,  twenty  miles  south  of  Sacramento,  near 
the  confluence  of  the  Cosumnes  and  Sacramento  Rivers,  the  north  wind 
continued  nine  days.  Young  rose  and  sycamore  leaves  were  blackened  and 
charred,  curling  up  like  burnt  paper.  A  few  days  ago,  and  during  a  north 
wind,  I  plucked  from  my  yard  some  flowers  usually  very  fragrant,  and 
found  them  to  be  void  of  their  usual  perfume.  I  took  them  into  the  house 
away  from  the  wind,  and  their  fragrance  returned  at  once.  This  experi- 
ment has  been  frequently  repeated,  with  the  same  uniform  result.  The 
leaves  of  the  acacia  tree,  which  close  up  only  at  night,  close  up  soon  after 
the  beginning  of  a  north  wind. 

Thomas  Sayles,  for  twenty-five  years  a  practical  nurseryman,  twelve 


68 

years  of  which  was  spent  in  California — I  have  known  the  young  sprouts 
on  cherry  and  peach  trees  to  be  killed  perfectly  dead  in  two  hours.  I  have 
seen  this  frequently.  Evergreen  toes,  when  taken  up,  and  while  the  roots 
are  well  bagged  and  watered,  are  often  killed  before  reaching  a  near 
market,  even  in  an  ordinary  north  wind.  The  effect  is  the  same  as  fire.  I 
have  known  apple  trees  ten  years  old  to  be  killed  by  a  few  days  of  north 
wind.  It  cuts  down  young  orange  trees  like  fire  or  frost;  and  we  dread 
the  north  wind  more  than  we  do  frost. 

Colonel  Wilson,  of  Nord — The  north  wind  nearly  destroyed  the  grain 
crop  in  1875. 

William  Gwynne — I  saw  in  1851,  Mr.  Harbeson's  wheat  field  in  Yolo 
County,  which  was  then  in  the  milk,  wholly  blighted  in  three  days. 

Miss  Brewster — I  have  seen  the  sulphur  colored  rose,  when  in  vigorous 
bloom,  turn  black  in  three  quarters  of  an  hour;  a  blanket  covering  furnished 
no  protection  whatever.  Gelatinous  water  flowers  are  not  noticeably  affected. 
Hyacinths  lose  their  fragrance  in  the  north  wind. 

General  Cadwalader — Potatoes  are  not  seriously  injured  while  the  ground 
is  moist;  but  later  in  the  season,  if  not  irrigated,  they  are  seriously  dam- 
aged. Walnut  trees  are  sometimes  burnt  on  the  north  side  from  branch  to 
root. 

EFFECT  ON  THE  ANIMAL  ECONOMY. 

Cows  give  fully  one  third  less  milk  during  the  prevalence  of  a  north 
wind.  Horses  have  no  travel  in  them  during  a  north  wind,  and  seem  to 
lack  breath,  and  require  double  the  usual  effort  to  do  their  ordinary  work. 
The  north  wind  frequently  kills  young  turkeys  and  chickens.  In  a  very 
few  hours  they  sicken,  begin  to  droop,  and  die.  Careful  people  cover  them 
during  a  north  wind.  Cattle  always  become  thirsty,  nervous,  and  restless. 

Mr.  Bassett — Birds  generally  cease  to  chirp  and  sing;  seem  to  be  feverish, 
and  lose  their  appetite.  They  bunch  up  as  in  cold  weather,  and  refuse  to 
bathe.  These  effects  are  as  noticeable  when  the  north  wind  is  cold  as 
when  it  is  hot.  Setting  hens  become  nervous  on  the  nest,  and  get  off  more 
frequently  than  at  any  other  time.  The  nose  of  the  setter  dog  grows  dry 
and  warm,  and  they  will  not  take  the  scent. 

William  Gwynne — In  1851  I  was  traveling  in  Yolo  County  during  a 
north  wind,  and  saw  little  birds  fall  dead  from  the  trees.  I  took  one 
almost  dead  to  a  spring  under  a  shade  of  grapevines,  bathed  and  fanned 
it  until  it  came  to  life.  It  would  not  move  from  the  shade. 

General  Cadwalader — Coveys  of  birds  are  sometimes  killed.  All  ani- 
mals seek  the  wells  and  springs  during  the  north  wind.  Sheep  sheared 
during  the  north  wind  lose  greatly  in  weight. 


\ 


EFFECT   ON   MAN. 


Dr.  Harkness — Healthy  and  strong  individuals  feel  an  inconvenience, 
an  agitation,  a  heaviness  difficult  to  express;  the  muscular  system  is  more 
sluggish;  individuals  afflicted  with  rheumatism  feel  their  pains  renewed; 
neuralgias  increase  in  intensity  or  their  paroxysms  reappear;  men  are 
cross-grained  and  quarrelsome;  fights  are  of  frequent  occurrence,  and  our 
landladies  are  seldom  found  in  their  usual  amiable  mood.  In  general,  our 
patients  afflicted  with  chronic  or  acute  affections  feel  an  aggravation  of 
their  principal  symptoms;  they  are  more  fatigued,  more  agitated,  and 
their  febrile  state  is  increased,  while,  without  being  able  to  give  any  reason 
for  it,  they  are  often  gloomy  and  despondent.  Urinary  secretion  contains 
an  excess  of  solid  ingredients,  and  is  diminished  in  quantity.  The  func- 


tions  of  the  brain  are  also  disturbed  by  the  same  morbific  influence,  result- 
ing in  slight  headache  and  'drowsiness,  with  marked  disinclination  for 
either  mental  or  physical  action.  7 

I  add  the  testimony  of  Dr.  J.' S.  Cameron,  of  Red  Bluff:  The  north 
wind  produces  a  feeling  of  depression  and  nervous  irritability;  the  lean 
and  spare  made  people  being  less  susceptible  than  persons  of  a  corpulent 
habit.  The  first  effect  consists  in  a  feeling  of  tightness  in  the  respiratory 
organs,  often  associated  with  headache ;  a  dryness  of  the  skin ;  thirst,  and 
a  diminution  of  the  excretions.  The  majority  are  made  pale. by  the  hot 
winds  of  Summer  time;  the  eye  will  generally  show  signs  of  congestion, 
and  the  after  effect  usually  increases  the  determination  of  blood  to  the  sur- 
face. Irritability  is  coincident  with  the  north  wind,  caused,  no  doubt,  by 
the  general  atmospheric  disturbance.  The  north  wind  causes  an  increase 
in  the  amount  of  liquids  drank.  The  hair  becomes  dry  and  crispy  because 
of  evaporation.  Consumptives  are  made  very  much  worse;  they  are  very 
much  prostrated  by  it,  and  in  fact  must  leave  the  valley  during  the  prev- 
alence of  the  north  winds.  All  diseases  of  the  respiratory  organs,  except  J^" 
asthma,  are  made  worse.  Neuralgia  is  also  usually  aggravated.  The  prev- 
alence of  a  north  wind  of  long  duration  in  the  Winter  and  early  Spring 
is  uniformly  accompanied  with  or  succeeded  by  an  epidemic  of  pneumonia; 
the  one  in  January,  1873,  having  produced  over  sixty  cases  in  Red  Bluff; 
the  mortality,  however,  was  small.  Rheumatism  may,  in  some  cases,  be 
benefited,  but  I  have  no  recollection  of  any  case  where  it  was;  but  unques- 
tionably it  is  less  prevalent  during  the  continuance  of  the  north  wind. 
Those  who  suffer  from  asthma  are  singularly  free  from  it,  but  I  attribute 
this  to  the  fact  that  the  climate  of  Red  Bluff  is  a  specific  for  the  cure  of 
that  disease. 

Dr.  Allendorf,  of  Red  Bluff — The  complexion  during  a  north  wind  is  apt 
to  become  ^sallow,  rough,  and  dry;  some  become  very  pale,  others  ruddy. 
The  hair  becomes  dry  and  rough,  and  the  wind  has  a  burning  and  blind- 
ing effect  on  the  eyes;  also  produces  headaches  and  sleeplessness.  The 
young  do  not  seem  to  suffer  as  much  in  proportion  as  those  of  forty  years 
and  over,  but  all  dread  and  dislike  it.  The  north  wind  has  a  very  percep- 
tible effect  on  persons,  especially  after  middle  life.  In  those  exposed  there 
is  a  sense  of  lassitude,  pain  of  the  joints  and  limbs,  disinclination  to  exer- 
tion, restlessness.  The  secretions  of  the  mucous  membranes  are  much 
decreased.  There  is  in  man  a  shrinkage  of  weight  as  great  as  one  pound 
per  day.  A  considerable  number  of  intelligent  persons  have,  by  frequent 
experiments,  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  human  body  loses  by  evapo- 
ration, during  a  strong  north  wind,  from  one  to  two  pounds  per  day.  But 
this  point  needs  more  careful  investigation.  . 

The  late  lamented  Dr.  Ed.  M.  Curtis  (Sacramento),  a  man  distinguished 
for  his  correct  and  close  habits  of  observation,  gave  me,  shortly  before  his 
death,  the  results  of  his  observations  on  the  effects  of  the  north  winds  on 
his  own  person.  He  suffered  for  years,  and  finally  died  of  consumption. 
He  said  that  the  north  winds  were  to  him  exceedingly  enjoyable,  and  that 
he  felt  better  during  a  north  wind  than  at  any  other  time.  While  engaged 
in  studying  this  subject,  I  have  found  well  people  who  claim  that  they  feel 
a  happy  exhilaration  during  the  prevalence  of  the  north  wind.  Among 
these  are  persons  of  every  variety  of  temperament.  Nevertheless,  it  is  a.n 
established  fact  that  many  disagreeable  results  come  from  our  north  winds; 
and  the  question  arises  whether  we  can  account  for  these  disagreeable  char- 
acteristics and  bad  effects  of  this  so  called  "poison  wind." 


70 


HYPOTHESES. 

Hypotheses  are  imaginative  efforts  to  overcome  difficulties,  and  their  use 
is  fully  justified  by  experience. 

First — It  is  claimed  that  the  heat  and  dryness  of  the  north  wind  are 
communicated  to  it  by  the  dry  plains  and  stubble  fields  of  the  Sacramento 
Valley;  and  in  support  of  this  hypothesis  it  is  said  that  the  north  wind 
does  not  become  peculiarly  vicious  until  after  harvest.  The  objection  to 
this  hypothesis  lies  in  the  supposed  fact,  probably  true,  that  the  north  wind 
is  more  vicious  just  where  it  first  touches  the  Sacramento  Valley  than  after- 
wards, and  that  its  exasperating  qualities  decrease  as  the  current  moves 
southward.  As  my  personal  observations  of  this  wind  have  been  confined 
to  Sacramento  and  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  I  am  not  able  to  determine 
the  question  at  issue.  One  thing,  however,  is  certain:  I  have  received 
descriptions  of  the  evil  effects  of  the  north  wind  as  far  south  as  Stockton , 
which  could  not  be  surpassed  by  any  similar  occurrences  at  the  north  end 
of  the  valley.  But  no  matter  how  much  truth  this  hypothesis  may  con- 
tain, it  does  not  explain  the  cause  of  the  exasperating  characteristics  of 
the  north  wind  as  felt  at  the  extreme  north  end  of  the  valley. 

Second — Dr.  Cameron  states  another  hypothesis:  "The  heat  of  the  north 
wind  in  Summer  time  seems  to  be  communicated  to  it  from  the  lava  beds 
of  Northern  California,  as  I  am  informed  that  above  Yreka  they  begin  to 
be  pleasant  winds,  even  in  the  hottest  Summer  months."  The  Rev.  Ed.  L. 
Green,  of  Yreka,  says:  "We  have  north  winds,  though  no  high  winds  from 
that  quarter.  They  are  cold,  bringing  frosty  nights,  sometimes  even  in 
June.  Later,  after  the  warm  weather  sets  in,  they  effect  an  agreeable 
change  in  the  temperature.  We  have  no  wind  here  corresponding  to  the 
dry,  disagreeable  north  wind  that  blows  down  the  Sacramento  Valley." 
As  Yreka  lies  due  west  of  the  lava  beds,  so  as  not  to  be  influenced  from 
that  direction,  the  second  hypothesis  may  yet  be  established. 

Third — A  third  hypothesis  is  offered.  In  this  it  is  claimed  that  the 
wind  which  sets  into  the  Gulf  of  California  passes  up  through  the  arid 
plains  of  Arizona  northward,  curving  westerly  and  then  south,  entering  the 
head  of  our  great  valley;  and  that  the  heat  and  other  disagreeable  quali- 
ties of  the  north  wind  are  derived  from  the  plains  of  Arizona  and  interven- 
ing deserts.  Of  this  hypothesis  it  is  sufficient  to  say  that  we  are  not  yet 
in  the  possession  of  established  facts  with  which  to  sustain  it  in  a  scientific 
manner. 

Fourth — I  think  we  will  make  better  progress  by  separating  the  subject 
of  causation,  and  by  simply  considering,  first  of  all,  the  cause  of  the  dry- 
ness  of  the  north  wind,  without  any  reference  to  its  other  disagreeable  char- 
acteristics. The  dryness  of  this  wind  is  partially  explained  by  the  fact 
that  it  passes  over  lava  beds  and  dry  mountains.  Indeed,  during  the  Sum- 
mer all  the  mountains  of  California,  even  where  they  are  not  denuded,  are 
gigantic  dust  heaps. 

Fifth — It  is  probable,  however,  that  the  northerly  winds  have  their  origin 
in  the  far  western  Pacific  Ocean,  and  it  is  claimed  by  observing  travelers, 
that  they  are  exceedingly  dry  in  Summer  time,  far  out  from  our  coast. 

Sixth — But  all  dry  winds  are  not  necessarily  evil  in  their  effects.  We 
have,  then,  to  account  for  their  disagreeable  and  pernicious  qualities.  And 
for  this  purpose  we  resort  to  a  sixth  hypothesis,  which  depends  for  its  sup- 
port chiefly  on  the  dryness  of  the  north  wind.  For  the  sake  of  convenience, 
we  call  this  the  electrical  hypothesis.  Electricity  is  capable  of  being 
massed,  condensed,  rarified,  and  also  of  discharging  itself.  It  exists  in 


71 

positive  and  negative  forms,  in  every  object  upon  the  earth;  and  negative 
electricity  is  just  as  active  and  efficacious  for  all  practical  purposes  as  the 
positive.  The  earth  is  practically  an  infinite  reservoir  of  both  electricities; 
though  by  comparison  the  earth  may  be  supposed  to  contain,  on.  the  whole, 
negative,  while  the  atmosphere  is  charged  with  positive.  When  the  nor- 
mal relations  between  the  earth  and  the  air  are  undisturbed,  there  exists 
an  easy,  natural,  and  imperceptible  interchange  of  electricities,  which  pre- 
serves the  general  equilibrium.  The  north  wind,  being  the  most  perfect 
insulator  and  best  non-conductor,  necessarily  insulates  the  earth.  In  this 
condition,  the  earth  no  longer  receives  electricity  from  the  air,  for  this  dry 
wind  can  neither  give  nor  receive.  The  result  is,  that  the  surface  of  the 
earth,  and  everything  upon  it,  is  excessively  charged  with  an  imprisoned 
electricity.  It  is  believed  that  this  hypothesis  is  founded  upon  well  estab- 
lished and  clearly  defined  principles.  But  common  sense  requires  some- 
thing more,  and  demands  other  proof  of  the  presence  of  electricity  at  these 
times. 

Dr.  H.  W.  Harkness  remarks  in  his  essay  upon  this  subject:  "We  feel 
in  a  north  wind,  sometimes,  as  when  we  receive  a  moderate  shock  from  an 
electro-magnetic  battery." 

Dr.  W.  R.  Cluness — I  have  frequently  noticed,  after  riding  in  the  north 
wind,  that  my  hair  became  dry  and  stood  out.  Running  a  comb  through 
produced  the  electric  snaps. 

Matthew  Cooke — I  have,  after  driving  in  a  prevailing  north  wind,  put 
my  finger  to  the  belt  of  my  driving-wheel,  which  drew  from  my  finger  nails 
a  steady  blaze  two  inches  in  length. 

Mr.  Hoyt — During  the  north  wind  the  tails  of  my  horses  sometimes 
stand  out  fan-like.  The  use  of  the  comb  and  brush  produced  the  electric 
snap. 

It  is  evident,  therefore,  both  from  these  simple  facts  and  the  principles 
of  electricity,  that  during  a  north  wind  everything  connected  with  the  earth 
is  insulated  and  heavily  charged  with  electricity.  It  has,  however,  been 
claimed  in  support  of  the  theory,  that  the  north  wind  imparts  electricity 
from  itself,  and  from  the  upper  regions;  that  a  stove  insulated  from  the 
earth  by  vitrified  bricks  wras  so  heavily  charged  with  electricity  as  to 
impart  a  very  heavy  shock  to  one  who  attempted  to  handle  the  stove. 

But  in  opposition  to  this,  it  must  be  admitted  that  the  original  instance 
referred  to  was  never  examined ;  that  all  similar  experiments  have  failed 
to  produce  this  result,  and  that  the  proposition  is  highly  improbable.  We 
may,  however,  imagine  a  stove  placed  in  a  very  damp  place,  where  there 
is  damp  air  sufficient  to  conduct  electricity  to  the  stove  from  the  ground ; 
but  we  can  hardly  imagine  that  the  stove  receives  electricity  from  the 
north  wind,  though  the  friction  might  generate  it.  If  I  have  established 
this  member  of  my  hypothesis,  namely,  that  during  a  north  wind  every 
object  is  insulated  and  heavily  charged  with  electricity  from  the  earth,  we 
are  prepared  with  a  reliable  explanation  of  many  of  the  results  of  the  north 
wind. 

We  put  the  statement  in  several  forms:  Tyndall  says:  "  When  an  elec- 
tric current  encounters  resistance,  heat  is  developed.  This  heat  is  some- 
times so  intense  as  to  reduce  metals  to  a  state  of  vapor."  This  being  true, 
the  excess  of  electricity  in  plants  and  animals  which  always  seeks  to  rees- 
tablish its  equilibrium  meets  with  resistance  in  the  north  wind  at  the  sur- 
face of  the  object  and  hence  an  extraordinary  degree  of  heat.  Again:  It 
is  supposed  that  a  non-excited  body  contains  an  equal  amount  of  negative 
and  positive  electricity.  Ordinarily  this  is  the  condition  of  objects  on  the 
surface  of  the  earth,  and  the  result  is  a  neutral  state.  But  friction  decom- 


72 

poses  these  two  into  one  or  the  other  of  the  two  elements,  and  the  result  is 
action. 

Now,  then,  the  north  wind  finds  the  animal  and  vegetable  economy 
charged  with  negative  and  positive  electricities  in  a  neutral  state,  and  the 
friction  of  the  wind  decomposes  the  two  elements,  producing  a  marked 
disturbance  of  electricity,  and  this  disturbance  is  quite  sufficient  to  account 
for  all  these  effects  of  the  north  wind  that  are  not  accounted  for  by  the 
simple  dryness  of  the  air. 

But  we  must  add  the  further  fact  that  there  exists  an  electric  current  in 
all  animals  and  vegetables;  that  there  is  a  current  perpetually  circulating 
between  the  internal  and  external  portion  of  the  muscles  of  the  animal. 
This  animal  electricity,  no  doubt,  derives  its  source  from  chemical  action, 
constantly  in  progress,  in  connection  with  the  vital  processes.  But  this 
chemical  process  must,  more  or  less,  be  interfered  with  by  the  disturb- 
ances produced  by  the  north  wind. 

This  fact  alone  will  account  for  very  many  of  the  evil  results  of  the  north 
wind,  both  in  the  vegetable  and  animal  economy.  To  say  the  least,  this 
hypothesis  accounts  for  the  intense  heat  and  the  nervousness  felt  by  those 
who  are  susceptible  to  this  malady.  It  will  also  account  for  the  exhilara- 
tion felt  by  others. 

Seventh — We  venture  still  another  hypothesis:  The  science  of  chemistry 
has  demonstrated  the  existence,  in  the  air,  of  chemical  elements,  such  as 
oxygen,  nitrogen,  aqueous  vapor,  carbonic  acid,  ammonia,  iodine,  and 
ozone,  elements  that  are  perfectly  harmless  in  their  normal  combinations. 

But  the  north  wind  may  enforce  different  combinations,  productive  of 
great  temporary  discomfort  to  man.  Future  and  more  thorough  investi- 
gation may  find  in  this  hypothesis  a  suggestion  of  considerable  value. 
The  discoloration  of  the  sulphur-colored  rose  is  suggestive  of  some  chemical 
action  in  the  north  wind.  Several  other  hypotheses  might  be  offered,  but 
those  already  named  are  sufficient  for  our  present  purpose. 

ECONOMIC  VALUE  OF  THE  NORTH  WIND. 

Heretofore,  in  this  discussion,  we  have  assumed  only  the  harmfulness  of 
the  north  winds.  But  are  they  wholly  valueless?  Have  we  a  right  to 
assume  that  these  natural  currents  are  only  evil,  and  evil  continually? 
The  constant  circulation  going  on  in  the  atmosphere  renders  impossible 
the  entire  consumption  of  any  substances  necessary  to  maintain  the  life  of 
organized  matter — such  as  oxygen,  aqueous  vapors,  etc. — and  it  also  pre- 
vents any  dangerous  accumulation  of  deleterious  matter — such  as  carbonic 
acid.  The  existence  of  animated  nature  is  intimately  connected  with  this 
circulation.  Thorough  investigation  will  establish  the  fact  beyond  a  ques- 
tion that  the  north  winds  are  of  inestimable  value  to  the  great  central  val- 
ley of  California.  And  I  am  confident  that  the  ordinary  estimate  of  the 
north  wind  by  the  people  of  this  valley  is  an  exaggeration  of  its  disagree- 
able qualities.  The  majority  of  well  people  cannot  tell  by  their  own  feel- 
ings, without  external  observation,  whether  the  wind,  at  a  particular  time, 
is  from  the  north  or  the  south.  I  have  often  heard  men  of  well  disciplined 
minds,  who  considered  themselves  particular  victims  of  the  north  wind, 
complain  bitterly  of  a  north  wind  when  the  wind  was  directly  from  the 
south.  Fully  one  half  of  the  misery  attributed  to  the  north  wind  is  purely 
imaginary,  or  the  result  of  indigestion  or  indolence,  or  the  simple  result 
that  follows  all  atmospheric  disturbances.  The  people  of  this  great  valley 
have,  in  an  unconscious  and  imitative  manner,  agreed  to  consider  them- 
selves miserable  during  a  north  wind.  The  psychology  of  this  morbid 


73 

condition  would  be  of  interest,  but  lies  beyond  the  line  of  our  present 
discussion. 

For  the  purpose  of  opening  the  subject  for  further  'consideration,  I  now 
offer  a  series  of  suggestive  propositions,  and  if,  in  the  statement  of  these,  I 
make  some  use  of  the  imagination,  it  must  be  remembered  that  science 
regards  a  legitimate  use  of  that  faculty  as  of  preeminent  value.  Knowing 
that  any  exuberance  of  the  imagination  in  this  connection  will  meet  with 
remorseless  punishment,  I  shall  restrain  this  faculty  within  just  limits. 

First — The  peculiar,  dry,  and  moderately  exhilarating  climate  of  this 
great  central  valley  is  a  result  of  the  northerly  winds.  Without  this  evap- 
orating power,  the  valley,  its  atmosphere  and  its  very  walls,  would  drip 
with  perpetual  moisture;  pernicious  fogs  would  cloud  the  sun  and  conceal 
the  valley,  with  no  possibility  of  escape  from  these  walls;  and  the  result 
would  be  a  humid,  relaxing  climate,  susceptible  of  that  high  degree  of  heat 
not  marked  by  the  thermometer,  but  felt  by  the  system.  Then  eighty 
degrees  of  heat  would  be  the  equivalent  of  one  hundred  under  present 
circumstances. 

Second — Without  the  north  winds,  and  with  the  increase  of  moist  heat, 
the  vegetation  now  cultivated,  and  so  highly  prized,  would  be  overlapped, 
overwhelmed  with  gross  tropical  growths.  The  exceeding  fertility  of  the 
soil  would  crowd  and  cram  the  soil  with  excessive  growth.  It  is  not  diffi- 
cult to  see  the  force  of  this  proposition,  in  view  of  the  well  known  fact  that 
judicious  and  careful  irrigation  and  culture  will,  even  now,  produce  a  forest 
of  fruit  trees,  of  vines  and  plants,  within  a  period  of  five  years.  As  mat- 
ters now  stand,  we  can  select  and  cultivate  any  or  all  of  the  products  of  the 
various  zones.  Between  our  present  happy  condition  and  the  wretchedness 
of  a  purely  tropical  state,  lies  our  only  defender — the  north  wind. 

Third — As  a  natural  and  necessary  sequence  to  our  first  two  propositions, 
there  comes  the  third — the  north  wind,  by  its  desiccating  power,  is  a  pre- 
ventive of  disease.  By  the  north  wind,  excessive  growth,  and  therefore 
excessive  decay,  and  therefore  excessive  malaria,  and  therefore  disease — all 
are  prevented.  Without  the  north  wind,  ague  and  the  virulent  fevers  would 
prevail  universally  and  dt  all  times.  It  is  also  within  the  range  of  possibil- 
ity that  we  are  indebted  to  this  agency  for  our  comparative  exemption  from 
sunstroke  and  hydrophobia ;  at  least,  it  is  proved  that  sunstroke  occurs  only 
after  very  wet  Winters.  It  is  but  reasonable  to  believe  that  this  desiccating 
power,  which  prevents  and  dissipates  the  noxious  exhalations  of  animal 
matter,  defends  us  against  all  those  diseases  that  are  propagated  by  poi- 
sonous pus. 

Fourth — The  north  wind  possesses  curative  powers.  This  proposition  is 
rendered  probable  by  the  curative  effects  of  similar  winds  in  other  countries. 
The  harmattan  wind  of  Africa,  which  possesses  the  same  characteristic  as 
our  north  wind,  is  preeminently  curative.  Intermittent  fever  is  cured  by 
the  first  breath  of  that  wind,  and  remittent  and  epidemic  fevers  disappear 
as  by  enchantment,  while  infection  of  all  kinds,  including  the  artificial 
infection  of  vaccine  virus,  fail  during  the  prevalence  of  that  wind.  The 
natural  presumptions  of  the  case  favor  the  truthfulness  of  this  proposition. 
I  am  satisfied  that  surgical  treatment  in  this  valley  is  rendered  more  easy 
than  in  moist  climates.  If  so,  it  is  because  of  the  curative  qualities  of  our 
dry  climate,  which  is  the  natural  product  of  our  north  winds. 

The  treatment  of  disease  by  electricity  is  a  department  of  medical  science 
which  is  yet  in  its  infancy,  with  all  the  probabilities  in  its  favor.  It  seems 
plain  to  me,  admitting  the  value  of  medical  electricity,  that  Nature,  in  this 
valley,  is  already  administering  this  curative  agency,  in  a  manner  already 
explained  in  our  fifth  hypothesis.  It  seems  probable,  in  view  of  that 


74 

explanation,  that  the  medical  faculty  has  it  within  reach  to  control  the 
natural  results  of  the  presence  of  an  excess  of  electric  fluids.  If  the  excess 
of  electricity  comes  from  the  earth,  and  not  from  the  air,  the  amount  of 
electricity  in  each  patient  may  be  controlled  by  still  further  insulation  and 
discharge.  This  further  insulation  from  the  earth  may  be  accomplished  by 
glass  under  the  posts  of  the  bedsteads  of  the  bedridden,  or  by  encasement 
of  those  who  move  about  in  silk  underclothing.  I  am  told  by  Dr.  Hark- 
ness  that  the  last  expedient  is  frequently  resorted  to  in  similar  winds  of 
India.  The  medical  fraternity  are  under  obligations  to  humanity  that 
ought  to  lead  them  to  important  results  in  this  direction. 

Fifth — The  north  winds,  following  the  rainy  season,  by  drying  and  bak- 
ing the  soil,  dissolve  and  pulverize  its  particles,  thus  freeing  its  inherent 
productive  powers.  A  similar  result  is  produced  in  colder  climates  by  the 
alternations  of  rain,  frost,  and  heat.  This  line  of  investigation  is  com- 
mended to  intelligent  agriculturists. 

Sixth — The  short,  dry,  seedy  grass  upon  which  our  farmers  rely  during 
the  Summer  and  early  Fall,  and  which  is  so  quickly  destroyed  by  moisture, 
is  cured  and  preserved  by  our  north  winds.  This  short  grass,  at  the  proper 
moment,  is  seized  by  the  north  wind  and  quickly  cured;  and  cured  in  a 
way  that  preserves  all  its  nutritive  qualities  from  evaporation. 

Seventh — Fineness  of  fiber  and  concentrative  nutriment  is  imparted  to 
all  our  vegetable  growth  by  the  north  wind.  And  it  is  possible  that  the 
grape  and  strawberry  may  receive  their  delicate  flavor  from  the  same  source. 
At  least  we  are  sure  of  this:  that  without  the  north  wind  exceeding  gross- 
ness  would  characterize  all  our  vegetation. 

Eighth — The  north  wind,  while  it  sometimes  destroys,  often  brings  our 
cereals  to  a  rich  and  profitable  maturity;  imparting  to  the  berry  a  solidity 
and  flintiness  that  enables  it  to  resist  the  damaging  effects  of  moisture. 
How  far  wheat  is  indebted  to  the  north  wind  for  its  glutin  and  thinness  of 
husk  I  am  not  able  to  say,  but  I  believe,  from  the  few  facts  in  my  posses- 
sion, that  it  performs  a  kindly  office  in  this  direction.  I  am  convinced 
that  the  absence  of  the  north  wind,  and  the  inevitable  increase  of  moisture, 
would  give  us  mere  bigness  of  berry,  to  the  sacrifice  of  flavor.  Without 
the  north  wind  our  grain  would  naturally  continue  to  grow  a  month  longer, 
during  which  time  it  could  only  increase  in  size.  And,  as  there  is  a  circu- 
lation of  electrical  currents  in  all  fruit,  vegetables,  and  grain,  it  may  yet 
be  found  that  the  electric  disturbances  produced  by  the  north  winds  are 
extremely  favorable  to  all  our  crops.  The  north  wind  protects  our  crops 
from  destruction  by  animal  and  vegetable  parasites.  Our  comparative 
exemption  from  the  ravages  of  weevil  doubtless  arises  from  the  desiccating 
power  of  the  north  wind,  and  perhaps,  in  part,  from  the  electric  conditions. 
The  most  common  <enemy  of  the  vegetable  economy  is  the  fungi.  Fruit 
trees  are  injured  by  microscopical  fungi;  potatoes,  onions,  lettuce,  vines, 
hops,  peas,  cabbage,  and  turnips,  each  have  their  inimical  fungi.  In  moist 
climates  the  grain  crop  is  smitten  with  red-rust,  mildew,  smut,  and  per- 
haps other  fungi.  The  conditions  favorable  to  the  growth  of  fungi  are 
moderate,  but  continuous  moisture,  a  close  damp  atmosphere,  shady  situa- 
tions, and  neither  extreme  of  heat  nor  cold.  The  family  of  fungi,  then, 
cannot  prevail  to  any  great  extent  in  our  great  central  valley,  because  of 
the  north  wind ;  and  we  are  defended  against  their  ravages  by  the  so  called 
"poison  wind."  A  gentleman  of  high  scentific  attainments,  who  has  made 
the  study  of  fungi  a  specialty,  informs  me  that  this  great  central  valley,  as 
a  matter  of  fact,  is  almost  destitute  of  these  growths.  This  proposition  is, 
then,  reasonably  well  established,  though  we  may  now  and  then,  owing  to 
exceptional  moisture,  have  a  little  rust  in  our  wheat. 


75 

Ninth — The  economical  value  of  the  north  wind  is  discernible  in  its 
power  to  preserve  the  various  materials  useful  and  necessary  in  our  civili- 
zation. The  dry  air  and  its  intense  drying  influence  must  necessarily  per- 
form an  important  office  in  preserving  from  rapid  decay  fences,  barns, 
houses,  railroad  ties;  and  I  am  confident  that  the  same  influence  must 
protect  iron  in  every  form  from  destructive  rusts.  Facts  sufficient  to  estab- 
lish this  proposition  are  doubtless  within  our  reach. 

Tenth — The  desiccating  power  of  the  north  wind,  which  enables  us  to 
give  all  wood  a  thorough  seasoning,  will  lead  of  necessity  to  the  establish- 
ment of  extensive  manufactories  of  wood  throughout  the  valleys.  At  pres- 
ent this  is  as  much  a  prophecy  as  a  proposition. 

Eleventh — The  wind  now  under  discussion  facilitates  practical  telegraphy, 
by  giving,  what  is  rarely  attained  elsewhere,  a  perfect  insulation.  Upon 
this  subject  all  practical  operators  are  agreed. 

Twelfth — It  is  within  the  power  of  ingenuity  and  industry  to  control  and 
utilize  these  winds. 

We  have  already  discovered  that  vegetation  can  be  measurably  protected 
by  trees,  houses,  fences,  and  water.  When  this  valley  becomes  fully  set- 
tled, and  the  great  farms  are  broken  up  into  small  homesteads;  when  there 
shall  be  fifty  thousand  houses,  orchards,  and  forests  where  there  are  now 
ten;  and  when  a  judicious  system  of  irrigation  shall  be  adopted  throughout 
this  great  central  valley,  then  the  vicious  qualities  of  the  north  wind  will 
cease  altogether.  Indeed  we  only  fear  that  the  future  development  of  the 
valley  may  deprive  us  of  even  the  advantages  derived  from  this  wind.  The 
results  of  the  Suez  Canal  are  suggestive  in  this  direction.  Formerly  rain 
was  unknown  on  that  part  of  the  Red  Sea,  but  since  the  building  of  the 
Suez  Canal  showers  have  fallen  regularly  about  once  a  fortnight.  The 
result  has  been  to  start  vegetation,  even  on  the  Asiatic  side,  in  the  most 
wonderful  manner,  and  if  things  go  on  as  they  have  begun  the  sands  of  the 
isthmus  will  be  covered  with  forests  in  another  half  century. 

From  all  I  can  learn  the  north  winds  have  lost  much  of  their  violence 
during  the  past  twenty-five  years.  If  so,  we  may  assume  that  the  develop- 
ment of  the  country  has  already  begun  to  change  the  character  of  these 
winds. 


PALESTINE  CLIMATE  VERY  SIMILAR  TO  THAT  OF 
CALIFORNIA. 

SIROCCOS  WHICH  PRODUCE  MORE  ILLS  THAN  ALL  THE  NORTH  WINDS  OF 

CALIFORNIA— THE  RAINY  SEASON  AND  THE  DRY 

SEASON  IN  THE  HOLY  LAND. 


An  interesting  report  of  the  climate  of  Palestine,  by  Mr.  Selah  Merrill, 
United  States  Consul  at  Jerusalem.  The  following  extract  will  be  found 
very  interesting  reading  for  Californians: 


SEASONS   IN   PALESTINE. 


There  are  in  Palestine  two  seasons,  a  rainy  season  and  a  dry  one.     The 
shortest  rainy  season   in  twenty-two  years   has"  been  one  hundred    and 


76 

twenty-six  days,  and  the  longest  two  hundred  and  twenty-one  days,  while 
the  mean  duration  of  each  season  has  been  one  hundred  and  eighty-eight 
days.  On  the  other  hand,  the  shortest  dry  season  for  the  same  period  was 
one  hundred  and  thirty-four  days,  and  the  longest  two  hundred  and  eleven 
days,  while  the  mean  duration  of  each  was  one  hundred  and  seventy-seven 
days. 

COMMENCEMENT    OF    THE    RAIN. 

The  time  of  the  commencement  of  the  rain  is  uncertain,  and  varies 
many  weeks  between  the  two  extremes.  In  September  the  people  .begin  to 
talk  about  rain,  and  to  look  for  the  token  of  it,  but  rain  very  seldom  falls 
during  that  month,  and  further,  that  in  eleven  of  the  twenty-two  years 
under  consideration  no  rain  fell  in  October.  When  rain  does  not  fall  until 
the  middle  or  last  of  November,  great  anxiety  and  distress  are  caused  by 
the  delay.  In  four  of  the  twenty-two  years  there  was  a  slight  fall  of  rain 
in  September,  but  rain  during  this  month  is  to  be  considered  as  exceptional. 

THE    EARLY,  MIDDLE,  AND   LATTER    RAINS. 

Every  one  is  familiar  with  the  terms  the  "early"  and  the  "latter"  rains, 
which  refer  to  parts  of  the  rainy  season.  The  rainy  season,  however,  is 
really  divided  into  three  parts,  and  it  is  during  the  middle  one  of  these 
periods  that  the  most  rain  falls.  It  is  very  seldom  that  many  days  of 
rainy  weather  occur  in  succession,  but  whether  the  rainy  periods  are  of  one 
or  several  days'  duration,  they  are  sure  to  be  followed  by  one  or  many  days 
of  fine  weather,  and  these  fine  days  of  the  Winter  and  early  Spring  months 
are  some  of  the  most  enjoyable  that  the  climate  of  Palestine  affords.  The 
"early  "rains  are  depended  upon  to  moisten  the  earth  and  fit  it  for  the 
reception  of  seed,  and  hence  it  is  a  general  signal  for  the  commencement 
of  plowing.  The  middle,  or  heavy  Winter  rains,  furnish  the  real  water 
supply  of  the  year.  The  earth  is  then  saturated,  springs  are  replenished, 
and  cisterns  are  filled  with  water.  The  "  latter  "  rains,  which  fall  in  gentle 
showers,  are  indispensable  to  the  perfection  of  the  grain.  However  copious 
may  have  been  the  Winter  rains,  unless  the  "latter"  rain  falls,  the  harvest 
is  wholly  or  in  part  a  failure ;  hence  this  is  looked  for  by  the  farmers  espe- 
cially, and  by  all  the  people  of  the  land  as  well,  with  peculiar  anxiety. 

CONNECTION   OF   WIND   WITH    RAIN. 

Most  of  the  rain  storms  come  from  a  westerly  direction.  Of  those  noted 
during  a  period  of  twenty-two  years,  forty-nine  were  from  the  northwest, 
one  hundred  and  six  from  the  west,  and  two  hundred  and  thirty-eight  were 
from  the  southwest.  On  one  hundred  and  forty-nine  occasions,  however, 
an  easterly  wind  immediately  preceded  the  change  which  ushered  in  the 
storm.  Not  infrequently  the  direction  of  the  wind  changes  during  the 
storm;  if  it  passes  to  the  north  the  rain  ceases.  A  change  from  any 
quarter  to  the  southwest  usually  indicates  a  continuance  of  the  rain. 

SNOW,    EARTHQUAKES,    TEMPERATURE. 

On  three  hundred  and  sixty-nine  occasions  the  temperature  of  the  air 
became  lower  as  the  rain  fell;  on  ninety  occasions  it  rose  slightly,  and  on 
forty-seven  occasions  it  remained  stationary,  or  nearly  so,  until  the  rain 
ceased.  During  twenty-two  years  eight  seasons  have  passed  without  snow, 
against  fourteen  seasons  when  snow  has  fallen.  In  general  snow  falls  in 


77 

small  quantities  and  soon  melts,  but  occasionally  there  is  a  heavy  fall,  that 
for  instance  for  the  twenty-eighth  and  twenty-ninth  of  December,  1879, 
which  was  extremely  heavy,  measuring  seventeen  inches  on  a  level. 

Most  of  the  earthquakes  that  have  been  noted  occurred  during  the  rainy 
season;  eighty  occurred  during  actual  storms,  and  four  of  these  during 
snow  storms.  It  is  interesting  to  observe  further,  that  in  nearly  every 
instance  they  have  been  preceded  or  followed  by  an  easterly  wind. 

JERUSALEM'S  ELEVATION. 

The  elevation  of  the  city  of  Jerusalem  is  2,600  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
Mediterranean  Sea,  and  the  mean  height  of  the  barometer  during  twenty- 
one  years  was  27.40  inches.  The  highest  reading  during  this  period  was 
27.82  inches;  the  lowest  reading  26.97  inches,  the  range  being  .63. 

COLD,    HEAT,   AND   FROST. 

The  coldest  month  in  Jerusalem  is  February,  the  mean  temperature 
during  the  last  twenty-two  years  being  47.9°.  It  rises  month  by  month 
until  August,  when  the  mean  temperature  has  been  76°,  and  then  sinks 
again  month  by  month  until  the  following  February;  the  mean  annual 
temperature  during  this  period  being  62.8°.  The  hottest  days  in  the  year 
do  not  occur  in  August,  but  usually  in  May,  June,  and  September.  The 
lowest  temperature  in  twenty-two  years  was  twenty-five,  on  January  20, 
1864.  A  minimum  of  thirty  and  thirty-two  has  been  reached  in  February 
and  October,  and  once  in  April.  These  cases  are,  however,  notable  excep- 
tions. 

In  Jerusalem  frost  occurs  five  or  six  nights  in  the  course  of  a  Winter, 
but  ice  is  rarely  ever  formed. 

STORMY  WINDS. 

A  peculiar  feature  of  the  climate  of  Palestine  is  its  stormy  winds.  Its 
physical  conformation  has  doubtless  something  to  do  with  this.  It  is  a 
ridge  of  rugged  mountains,  running  north  and  south,  which  drops  to  a  broad 
maritime  plain  on  the  west,  and  on  the  east  to  a  deep  chasm  sunk  into 
the  earth  to  a  depth  of  thirteen  hundred  feet  below  the  level  of  the  Med- 
iterranean Sea,  beyond  which  chasm  (which  is  the  Jordan  River  Valley) 
another  ridge  of  mountains  rises  abruptly  to  a  height  equal  to  or  greater 
than  that  of  the  western  ridge,  and  beyond  this,  in  turn,  a  vast  table  land 
stretches  eastward  to  the  Euphrates,  and  southward  into  Arabia.  Both 
the  inhabitants  of  the  country  and  its  crops  are  largely  affected  by  the 
prevailing  winds.  The  north  wind  is  cold,  the  south  warm,  the  east  dry, 
the  west  is  moist.  North  and  northwesterly  winds  prevail  most  in  the 
Summer  months,  when  they  are  cool  and  refreshing,  moderately  dry,  and 
accompanied  by  a  few  or  no  clouds.  The  north  winds  of  Winter  are  cold 
and  sharp.  Their  coolness  and  sharpness,  even  in  Summer,  are  apt  to 
produce  sore  throat,  fever,  and  dysentery. 

Without  the  strong  westerly  winds  of  Summer,  the  climate  of  Jerusalem 
would  be  unbearable.  Occasionally  these  winds  do  not  blow  for  several 
days  in  succession,  and  at  such  times  the  heat  becomes  very  great.  As 
a  rule  this  strong  westerly  breeze  comes  up  every  afternoon.  It  is  felt  at 
Jaffa,  and  at  other  places  on  the  coast,  as  early  as  nine  or  ten  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  but  it  does  not  reach  Jerusalem  until  from  two  to  four  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon.  Generally  it  subsides  about  sunset,  but  rises  again  dur- 
7 


78 

ing  the  evening,  and  sometimes  continues  through  a  greater  part  of  the 
night.  Consequently,  however  hot  the  day  may  have  been  in  Jerusalem, 
the  nights  during  the  Summer  season  are  almost  always  cool.  Thus,  this 
wind,  although  often  strong,  disagreeable,  and  filling  the  air  with  clouds  of 
dust,  is  a  great  blessing  to  the  inhabitants;  but  at  the  same  time  it  makes 
it  very  necessary  for  them  to  take  precautions  to  protect  themselves  from 
its  influence  at  night.  Easterly  winds  are  rare  in  Summer,  while  they  are 
common  in  each  of  the  other  seasons.  The  average  for  sixteen  years  has 
been  three  days  of  easterly  winds  for  each  month  from  June  to  September, 
and  eleven  days  for  each  month  from  October  to  May,  inclusive. 

EAST  WIND  AND  SIROCCO. 

The  east  wind  in  Winter  is  usually  accompanied  by  a  clear  blue  sky, 
and  is  dry,  stimulating,  and  if  not  too  strong,  very  agreeable.  In  the 
warmer  months  it  is  unpleasant  and  depressing  from  its  great  heat  and 
dryness,  and  the  occasional  haze  and  dust  which  occasionally  accompanies 
it.  The  southeast  winds  are  those  which  are  popularly  termed  "Siroccos," 
and  which  are  most  disagreeable.  "  The  worst  kind  of  sirocco,"  says  Dr. 
Chaplin,  "dries  the  mucous  membrane  of  the  air  passages,  producing  a 
kind  of  inflammation  resulting  in  catarrh  and  sore  throat;  it  induces  great 
lassitude,  incapacitating  for  mental  as  well  as  bodily  exertion,  in  those 
who  walk  or  work  in  it;  headache,  with  the  sense  of  constriction,  as  if  a 
cord  were  tied  around  the  temples,  oppression  of  the  chest,  burning  of  the 
palms  of  the  hands  and  soles  of  the  feet,  accelerated  pulse,  thirst,  and 
sometimes  fever.  It  dries  and  cracks  furniture,  loosening  the  joints  of 
tables  and  chairs,  curls  the  covers  of  books,  and  pictures  hung  in  frames, 
parches  vegetation,  and  sometimes  withers  whole  fields  of  young  grain. 
Its  force  is  not  usually  great,  but  sometimes  severe  storms  of  wind  and  fine 
dust  are  experienced,  the  hot  air  burning  like  a  blast  from  an  oven,  and 
the  sand  cutting  the  face  of  the  traveler  who  has  the  misfortune  to  en- 
counter it.  This  kind  of  air  has  a  peculiar  smell,  not  unlike  that  of  the 
neighborhood  of  a  burning  brick  kiln.  Sometimes  the  most  remarkable 
whirlwinds  are  produced,  especially  in  the  western  plain  near  the  hills,  by 
the  meeting  of  a  strong  east  or  southeast  wind  with  a  wind  from  the  west 
or  north.  Clouds  of  sand  fly  about  in  all  directions,  now  taking  the  traveler 
in  front,  now  behind,  and  now  on  the  side,  and  the  gusts  of  wind  are  so 
violent  as  to  blow  weak  persons  from  their  horses,  and  overturn  baggage 
animals.  The  cold  siroccos  of  Winter  often  blow  with  much  force,  and 
when  it  comes  from  a  few  degrees  north  of  east,  it  is  so  cold  and  piercing 
as  sometimes  to  kill  those  who  are  exposed  to  it  without  sufficient  clothing, 
instances  of  which  occurred  in  1867." 

It  is  an  old  and  popular  saying  with  the  people  of  the  country  that  a 
sirocco  always  lasts  three  days,  but  they  have  been  known  to  last  for  twenty 
and  even  thirty  days. 

SCARCITY  OF  CLOUDS. 

A  noticeable  feature  of  Palestine  is  its  cloudless  skies.  There  has  been 
an  average  of  one  hundred  and  forty  days  in  each  year  for  sixteen  years 
which  were  cloudless  at  9  A.  M.  Still  during  a  large  part  of  the  year,  clouds 
are  present,  and  they  affect  the  climate  in  various  ways,  but  chiefly  by 
moistening  the  atmosphere  and  by  producing  a  shade  which  moderates  the 
otherwise  intense  heat  of  the  season.  The  smallest  amount  of  clouds  dur- 
ing the  year  is  in  the  months  of  July  and  August. 


79 


DEPOSITION  OF  DEW. 

During  the  Winter  months  dew  falls  in  the  ordinary  way,  and  hence 
needs  no  special  notice;  but  in  the  Summer  months,  when  the  whole  coun- 
try is  arid,  and  there  is  no  water  to  evaporate,  the  copious  dews  are  brought 
entirely  by  the  westerly  winds  from  the  sea.  If  no  westerly  breeze,  or  but 
a  slight  one  springs  up  towards  evening,  there  is  no  dew.  The  heavy  dews 
of  Summer,  which  modify  the  climate  so  remarkably,  differ  from  ordinary 
dew  in  the  manner  of  their  deposition,  being  in  great  part  precipitated  in 
the  air  ki  the  form  of  mist  before  being  deposited  on  the  earth.  On  Summer 
evenings  a  few  clouds  are  commonly  to  be  seen  in  the  western  horizon  soon 
after  sunset.  Later  in  the  evening  they  increase  in  number,  become  lower 
and  looser,  and  sweep  past  at  no  great  elevation,  and  often  with  considera- 
ble velocity.  Towards  midnight,  or  later,  they  become  still  more  abundant 
and  still  lower,  brushing  the  tops  of  the  hills  as  they  pass,  and  depositing 
much  of  their  moisture  upon  them,  although  dew  may  fall,  even  in  Sum- 
mer, in  the  usual  way  on  clear  nights;  the  surest  sign  of  a  copious  deposi- 
tion is  the. appearance  of  clouds  with  a  westerly  wind  after  sunset.  Dew  is 
most  copious  in  the  Spring,  and  in  September  and  October,  except  during 
sirocco  weather,  when  there  is  none. 

Clouds  and  a  westerly  wind  at  sunset  and  afterwards,  are  not,  however, 
always  indications  of  a  very  damp  night.  It  is  the  continuation  of  the  west- 
erly wind  during  the  night  that  brings  abundance  of  dew.  Often  at  day- 
break the  sky  is  obscured  by  a  heavy  mist,  and  the  ground  is  wet  as  if  rain 
had  fallen.  When  the  sun  begins  to  act  upon  this  mist,  large  masses  of 
white  clouds  are  formed,  which,  however,  soon  disappear  before  the  great 
heat,  leaving  overhead  only  the  usual  blue  sky  of  Summer. 

UNHEALTHY   PERIOD    OF   THE   YEAR. 

\ 

The  unhealthy  period  of  the  year,  the  period  in  which  the  climatic  dis- 
eases of  the  country,  such  as  ophthalmia,  fevers,  and  dysentery,  are  most 
prevalent,  extends  from  May  to  October,  inclusive.  Six  things  strongly 
characterize  this  period:  (1)  almost  entire  absence  of  rain;  (2)  low  atmos- 
pheric pressure,  with  small  range;  (3)  high  temperature,  with  great  daily 
range;  (4)  great  dryness  of  the  atmosphere;  (5)  a  very  small  amount  of 
cloud;  and  (6)  except  at  the  beginning  and  end  of  this  period,  a  minimum 
of  easterly  winds.  While  I  have  been  completing  this  report  the  cholera 
has  broken  out  in  Egypt,  and  a  strict  quarantine  has  been  established  in 
all  the  Syrian  ports.  In  this  connection,  therefore,  it  may  be  of  interest  to 
add  a  note  respecting  the  climate  of  Jerusalem  in  October,  1865,  when  the 
cholera  raged  in  this  city  with  considerable  violence.  The  period  from  the 
seventh  to  the  twenty-fourth  of  that  month  was  one  of  great  and  oppressive 
heat.  During  the  whole  eighteen  days  the  sky  was  cloudless,  but  over- 
spread with  a  thin  haze.  The  wind  was  from  northwest,  north,  and  east, 
but  so  light  as  to  be  considered  a  calm,  except  on  the  fifteenth  and  six- 
teenth, when  there  was  a  light  breeze  from  the  east.  The  highest  temper- 
ature was  ninety-four  degrees,  and  on  eleven  days  it  rose  to  at  least  ninety 
degrees.  During  the  period  the  mean  of  the  maximum  temperature  was 
89.1,  and  of  the  minimum  temperature  65.8;  the  mean  temperature  for 
the  period  being  77.4  degrees.  This  high  temperature,  together  with  the 
calm,  close,  hazy  atmosphere,  was  supposed  to  have  some  influence  in 
spreading  the  cholera. 


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